20 of the best foreign players to have played in the Chinese Super League

14 – Ramires

Ramires won everything there was to be won at Chelsea

Ramires Santos do Nascimento started off playing at Joinville Esporte Clube in Brazil. After one season in their senior team he made a move to another Brazilian side, Cruzeiro. His trademark work ethic, willingness to run, and indefatigable energy caught the attention of Portuguese giants Benfica, and the club snapped him up in May of 2009 for a transfer fee of £6.38m. He played a vital role throughout that season, in which Benfica won their 32nd league title after a five-year wait. They also won the Taca da Liga that season.

In August 2010 Benfica agreed on a deal with English Premier League champions, Chelsea. The Brazilian arrived at Stamford bridge and was initially played on the wings. His first season at the club was a flop, but things turned around when he finally started playing as a central defensive midfielder. Ramires went on to become an established first team player and won every major domestic and European trophy during his time at Chelsea. He played a crucial role in Chelsea’s Champions League triumph by scoring a tie deciding away goal at Nou Camp in the second leg of the semifinal. After six years at the club, the 29-year-old made a move to Jiangsu Suning of the Chinese Super League for a then record transfer fee of £25m. He has scored 4 goals in 16 outings for the club.