10 superstars who rejected the Chinese Super League's riches

Just when football looked to have reached a new high with respect to transfer fees and player contracts, the Chinese Super League stepped in and took it up a few levels further. Suddenly Europe's top clubs couldn't compete financially with an outsider and it reached a point where even the Chinese second division outspent Europe's top leagues.

The CSL manage to lure stars such as Carlos Tevez, Oscar and Hulk with eye-watering wages that could rid the world of hunger. However, there are a few players who flatly rejected a contract that would set them up for life.

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10) Arjen Robben

At 33, Arjen Robben is entering the twilight of his career. His most lethal weapon is his pace and it is bound to diminish in the next couple of seasons.

The Dutch winger's contract at Bayern Munich could be his last big contract. Which is why an offer from China would have been too good to refuse, easily putting him in the same bracket as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

But Robben had absolutely no intention of moving to China.

"A transfer to China would be something else entirely. That is basically acknowledging your career is over. I want to keep playing at the highest level as long as possible.

"They are offering maybe four, five or six times the amounts you get at a big club. But money has never driven me."

Well said?

9) John Terry

John Terry decided to stay in England

Until the summer of 2017, John Terry was a one-club man. No other active player in the Premier League had spent more time at a single club than Terry had at Chelsea.

Having made his debut with Chelsea back in 1998, Terry made 717 appearances for the London club before he realised he could no longer play at the highest level - especially in Antonio Conte's system.

Terry had offers from the American MLS and China. His former boss Luiz Felipe Scolari even wanted to bring him to Guangzhou Evergrande in a big-money move.

But the former England skipper decided to stay in England and rejected the massive £12m wage packet to sign with Championship side Aston Villa instead.

8) Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic turned down a massive contract offer from China

Even though he is 35 years old, Zlatan Ibrahimovic was proving doubters wrong and ruling the Premier League like he always belonged there. His fitness belied his age and he almost single-handedly dragged Manchester United to League Cup and Europa League glory.

However, prior to his injury, he was courted by a number of Chinese clubs who knew that signing Ibrahimovic would see fans flock in droves to the stadium to catch a glimpse of the superstar. His agent Mino Raiola also confirmed a bid.

“He turned down €100m net from the Chinese. He doesn’t want more money, he wants to win.” - Raiola

But Ibrahimovic has so far rejected any chances to move to China and despite his knee injury, he still isn't thinking about retirement. He has even rejected a move to the MLS side La Galaxy to stay in Europe.

7) Olivier Giroud

Olivier Giroud has no plans to move to China... yet!

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud was the first-choice man to lead the Gunners' line until last season when Alexis Sanchez took the Premier League by storm. Arsene Wenger's risky move paid off as the Chilean striker almost won the Golden Boot, taking the race to the final day of the season.

The only casualty of the move was Giroud who had to be resigned to coming off the bench but he did score some crucial goals. In fact, he had one of the best minutes-per-goal ratios in the league.

There was speculation about a move away form Arsenal and Giroud was asked about a move to China. While he was tempted to move to Asia for the money on offer, he said he wouldn't do so until he'd achieved his goals at the north London club.

"Honestly, from my point of view I will tell you that I can understand [players moving to China], but if you asked me if I want to go now I will tell you 'no'.

"The Premier League is my main target. After, when I will win it one day, why not? You never know." - Giroud

But will he get his chance now that Arsenal have signed Alexandre Lacazette?

6) Klaas-Jan Huntelaar

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar had eyes only for a return to Ajax

One of the best Dutch strikers of his generation, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar suffered from being second-best to the likes of Robin van Persie in the Dutch national team. Once heralded as the replacement for Ruud van Nistelrooy, Huntelaar found it tough to nudge Van Persie and remained second-choice.

However, he was still a lethal striker and proved his worth at Schalke where he een managed to score 48 goals in one season a few years ago. Although he is now 33, it didn't stop Chinese clubs from making a beeline for him.

"Offers from other countries I have indeed received, in China for example. They want to pay a lot of money, but I turned it down.

"I had no second thought about it. I wouldn’t leave my family behind ever to play football in a distant land. Not even for a lot of money." Huntelaar (2016)

Huntelaar even said he would move to Ajax (where he spent 3.5 seasons) and that he was willing to take a pay-cut to do so. And that's exactly what he did this summer.

5) Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas prefers a move to MLS instead of China

The Spaniard seems like he has been around since forever but Cesc Fabregas only turned 30 years old at the end of the 2016/17 season. Having played a crucial role yet again in Chelsea's title triumph, Fabregas was linked with a move to China when he wasn't getting enough game time under Antonio Conte.

According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Fabregas had received an offer of €31m in wages to move to China. However, they did not name the club that was involved.

Fabregas still has a number of years left in him and while a move to China did sound enticing, he was not ready to leave Europe just yet. In fact, he has other plans when his European career comes to an end in the future.

"Once I don't think I could play in Europe, my plan at the moment would be to go to the States, but you never really know." - Fabregas

Will he seal his spot in Conte's XI this season, though?

4) Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney returned to boyhood club Everton

Having signed for Manchester United as a teenager, Wayne Rooney saw his 13 year career at Old Trafford come to an end in the summer of 2017. But according to him, he knew his career in a red shirt had ended back in November 2016.

"It was around November I knew [an exit was likely]," he had said after his exit. He had even spoken to Jose Mourinho about his future as offers reportedly flooded in from China.

At the time, the Portuguese manager convinced Rooney to stay till the end of the season and requested him not to move in the January transfer window. According to Tianjin Quanjian manager Fabio Cannavaro, he did have a talk with Rooney.

However, Rooney decided against moving to China (and the £32m a year he would have received) and later confirmed his move back to childhood club Everton - where his career took off in the Premier League.

3) Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema was targeted by Tianjin Quanjian

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema may have won the La Liga and Champions League this season but the 2016/17 campaign was one of his worst in terms of his own scoring potential.

After averaging more than 25 goals in the previous six seasons, Benzema only managed 19 last season (and only 11 in the league) despite playing nearly 50 games. This was when he was the subject of a bid from Tianjin Quanjian.

“The club’s representatives are working on the deal. And I will absolutely honour my promise to the fans that the new striker will be, without a doubt, a world-class player.

"We need an out-and-out striker so we made a bid for [Karim] Benzema." - Club chairman Shu Yuhui

Benzema had reportedly been offered nearly double his wages at Madrid and it would have seen him earn at least €21m in wages alone. But he is set to remain at the Bernabeu - at least until 2019 when his contract ends.

2) Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure opted to stay another year in England

When he first arrived in the Premier League, he was one of the biggest stars purchased by Manchester City whose ambitious project suddenly threatened the status quo of the league in England. The Ivorian midfielder was a bonafide star who had helped Barcelona win the sextuple in 2008/09 and demanded the huge wages that came with it.

Since then he has won two Premier League titles and an FA Cup with City. But he is now on the decline and, at the age of 34, this could be his final season with the Sky Blues.

But the 2016/17 season was almost his last at the Etihad. A public fallout between his agent and Pep Guardiola had threatened to cut short his career in England. A Chinese club had also offered him a way out with a £430,000/week package - double his wages at City.

However, he and Guardiola soon made up. Toure soon apologised for any misunderstandings and extended his contract by a year at the Etihad.

1) Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo was offered the biggest contract in football history but refused to move for money

Yes, the reigning best player in the world was also targeted by the Chinese Super League in a sensational bid to upset the football order in Europe (and the world).

Cristiano Ronaldo earns £365,000/week at Real Madrid. A Chinese club was willing to spend almost five times that to lure him to the Far East (£1.8m/week).

The club had even reportedly submitted a €200m (£175.7m) bid to Real to sign him, according to Spanish outlet AS. His agent then claimed that Real were offered £256.6m while Ronaldo was offered £85m in annual wages.

It would have made him the world's most expensive player yet again after his £80m move to Spain in 2009. However, it was rejected as his agent Jorge Mendes claimed money was not Ronaldo's priority.

"From China, they've offered €300m to Real Madrid and more than €100m per year to the player. But money is not everything. Real Madrid is his life. Cristiano is happy at Real Madrid and it is impossible to go to China." - Mendes

Ronaldo would go on to help Real Madrid win the Champions League yet again as Los Blancos became the first team to defend their title in the UCL era.