Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta appears set to join Chinese Super League (CSL) team Chongqing Dangdai Lifan next season.
Although Zlatan Ibrahimovic was hoping Iniesta would be LA Galaxy's newest facilitator, Iniesta has opted to join the ranks of elite players who have transitioned to the Chinese Super League.
From a financial perpsective, it's easy to understand Iniesta's move. Carlos Tevez famously earned $10 million per goal (he scored four) during his season with Shanghai Shenhua.
Although the Chinese Super League has made efforts to curb spending on foreign internationals, it still has comfortably outspent MLS in attracting top-end talent. In 2017, the 10th highest paid CSL player (Burak Yilmaz, 8 million euros) made more than MLS' top earner, Kaka ($7.17 million).
Iniesta will join several former top league stars, including Hulk and Oscar, when he moves to The Chinese Super League. Photo: @EniSports | Twitter
Iniesta will surely earn a handsome salary in China, but the benefits could extend beyond that. Chongqing owner Jiang Lizhang has extensive experience in the sports marketing business, having founded the firm Desports in 2004. He now has focused most of his efforts on assembling a portfolio of teams.
Lizhang owns second division teams Granada FC and Parma Calcio 1913, and he also holds a 5 percent ownership stake in the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves.
It's likely Iniesta will benefit from lucrative endorsement deals in China, and it's even possible he could venture into team ownership with Lizhang.
Jiang Lizhang added Chinese Super League side Chongqing to his portfolio of teams in January 2017. Photo: @Solo_Parma | Twitter
Although the financial incentives make sense for Iniesta, it seems that former stars of Europe's leagues have still opted for MLS as their swan song in lieu of the CSL. For players like Andrea Pirlo and David Villa, they likely could have made more money in China, but instead opted for the lifestyle in New York.
In Zlatan's case, he will only make $1.4 million playing for the Galaxy this season, but he has the charisma to generate significantly more money via endorsements living in LA. That would likely be less of the case for the mild-mannered Iniesta.
Iniesta's 668 career appearances with Barcelona's first team rank second all time to his longtime midfield mate Xavi.
He has won the Champions League four times with Barcelona, and the club has all but wrapped up its ninth league title during his time there. He added to his trophy collection with a Copa del Rey title against Sevilla.
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