Jackson Martinez joins boyhood club in China

Colombia worldwide, Jackson Martinez has joined Guangzhou Evergrande from Atletico Madrid for a Chinese record fee of €42 million (£31.8m).

Incredibly, that means Atleti have actually made a €7m profit (£5.3m) on a player that scored just two goals in 15 uninspiring La Liga appearances, as well as netting a solitary goal in the Champions League. Chelsea midfielder Ramires and Serie A twosome Gervinho and Fredy Guarin are among the other enormous Chinese signings in 2016. The national team has been a persistent laggard, qualifying for only one World Cup finals.

The Asian transfer market closes on the 26th of February, although Atletico tried to complete the move on Monday to have time to sign a replacement.

Questions have been asked about whether some are past their prime, but David Hornby, sports business director of the Mailman brand management group in Shanghai, said: “These are not guys at the end of their career just looking for a pay-out”.

“We firmly believe that the additional of worldwide football star Jackson Martinez will strengthen our attack, providing more exciting performances for everyone”, the club said in an official statement. “It’s really that government mandate that’s pushing it”.

But Martinez will join Brazilian global Paulinho in a squad who won a fifth consecutive domestic crown in October.

That already seems to be paying off and under the stewardship of former Chelsea and Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari, Super League champion Guangzhou past year became the only Chinese team to win the AFC Champions League twice.