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China's football strategy turns inwards

It's not a coincidence the owners of Inter Milan, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion are all looking to sell: Chinese investors' European venture has reached the beginning of the end, argues offthepitch.com

The benefits - if you are a Chinese businessman - of owning a European football club are claimed to be over. CCP, the Chinese Communist Party, has called on everyone to invest capital in building football infrastructure locally.

Investing in European football didn't turn out to boost China's domestic industry to the extent the government had hoped.  China has changed strategy from a less well-defined ambition to a specific goal of growing national competitions and becoming a top FIFA nation.

China's 'new era' strategy is outlined here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertkidd/2020/12/13/why-china-is-curbing-club-spending-and-building-new-stadiums-to-fulfill-its-soccer-dream/?sh=2f5f0c2d73fb

Domestic development was, of course, always part of the plan, but Chinese football has been in some difficulties.  Shandong Luneng have been kicked out of the AFC Asian Super League for being behind with payments: https://gulfnews.com/sport/football/chinese-cup-winners-shandong-luneng-expelled-from-afc-asian-champions-league-1.77042900

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