China’s Jiangsu Suning have signed Brazilian Alex Teixeira for 50 million euro ($56 million), the club said on Friday, a new national record that pushed current Chinese Super League spending past England’s Premier League.
The midfielder -- previously a target for Liverpool -- signed a four-year contract, moving from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, Jiangsu Suning said on a verified social media account.
The monster move -- the second time the record was broken in just three days -- comes as China invests heavily in trying to build itself into a world-class football power.
According to the transfermarkt website, which tracks commercial dealings in the sport, clubs in the increasingly wealthy CSL have so far spent 258.9 million euros in China’s current transfer window, which runs until Feb.26.
Premier League clubs spent 247.3 million euros in the European window, which closed earlier this week.
Teixeira is known for aggressive midfield play, and Jiangsu Suning praised his ability to “play any front position”, adding he “can also take charge of the wings”.
The flexibility, it said, means that he can “change positions” when facing different teams, giving the club “more options on attack”.
Teixeira, 26, scored 89 goals in 223 matches for Shakhtar, winning five Ukrainian titles, three national cups and five Ukrainian Super Cups.
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