Despite recent cutbacks in investment by Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs, the income of the CSL is still quite attractive compared to some overseas leagues, which has made many foreigners rush to play in the league. In an interview with Denmark's Bold magazine, Changchun Yatai's foreign defender Okore candidly revealed that he chose to come to China to play football, the primary reason is to pursue a higher income, compared to the treatment in Europe, there is a world of difference in the level of pay here.
"In China, I was paid an impressively high salary." Okore confessed, "This is in stark contrast to what I was paid in Europe. Of course, apart from money, other aspects are also quite attractive. For that matter, I am very contented with my current state of life. I would say that as a Danish player facing high income tax, I earn much better in China than I did in Europe."
So how much can a foreigner actually earn in China? Okore said, "I place great importance on the experience of the game, but money is equally indispensable. If you can earn more while enjoying soccer, why not? The salaries in China are very attractive to many players. Of course, salaries vary from person to person. Personally, my salary in China could be 5 to 10 times or even up to 20 times higher than in the past. However, I cannot disclose the exact amount."
Okore, 31, already has a lot of experience in the soccer world. He has spent years of his career in Denmark and England before coming to China. Apparently, his earnings at Changchun Yatai have far exceeded what he used to earn. If, as Okore says, the Chinese Super League may even pay 20 times as much as in Europe for European players, then it's easy to see why foreigners are still eager to take up the offer even though there are frequent problems with wage arrears in the Chinese Super League.
