Elite imports: Five foreign stars to watch

The Chinese Super League may not be splashing the cash like before but there are still a number of high-profile players with international experience.

* Oscar (Shanghai Port)

Joined Shanghai in 2017 from Chelsea for what is still an Asian-record 60 million euros ($73 million).

Now 29, the attacking midfielder should be at the peak of his powers and he regularly tops the charts for most assists in the CSL.

He is well settled in Shanghai and even talked about playing for China, despite having previously represented Brazil.

* Marko Arnautovic (Shanghai Port)

Another who swapped the English Premier League for the Shanghai club. The Austrian international, who turned 32 on Monday, looks likely to play a more pivotal role after the departure of fellow forward Hulk.

He joined Shanghai from West Ham United in July 2019 for 28 million euros ($34 million) and averages a goal every other game.

Arnautovic admitted that he initially underestimated Chinese soccer. "I didn't train, I didn't look after my body, I was eating, I was drinking fizzy drinks," he said of his early CSL days.

* Marouane Fellaini (Shandong Taishan)

Fellaini joined Shandong from Manchester United in February 2019 after six years at Old Trafford, having spent five years before that at Everton.

The towering Belgian, 33, primarily plays in midfield but can also be a major threat in the air up front.

Last season, with Shandong trailing to Rafael Benitez's Dalian Pro, Fellaini changed the game with a scarcely believable eight-minute hat-trick, all scored with his head.

* Paulinho (Guangzhou FC)

The Brazil midfielder, formerly of Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur, is one of the most successful foreign signings in the history of the CSL.

However, the 32-year-old will miss the start of the season because he is stuck in Brazil due to coronavirus travel restrictions, and it is unclear when he will return.

The initial absence of his skipper is a major blow to Guangzhou FC head coach Fabio Cannavaro.

* Cedric Bakambu (Beijing Guo'an)

The 30-year-old Congolese striker was set to make a surprise switch to Barcelona last year but the dream move fell through at the last minute.

He put that behind him to top the scoring charts in the coronavirus-delayed 2020 CSL season.

Bakambu's time in China, having joined from Spain's Villarreal in 2018, has had its challenges: he tested positive for the virus last month, and has not always convinced Beijing fans.