2025 Chinese Super League Foreign Players Summary: Post-Oscar Era, Cost-Effectiveness is Key

Written by Han Bing The 2025 CSL season saw the absence of Oscar, the "super-dimensional" foreign player, marking a shift to a rational spending era where foreign players are judged mainly by their value for money. Throughout the season, 92 foreign players took part, and 49 were newly recruited this year, 11 of whom joined during the summer window.

Foreign players with transfer fees under 3 million euros and market values below 4.5 million euros showed vastly different performances, providing varying levels of contribution to their teams; their market value did not always correlate with their seasonal output.

As tradition goes, our newspaper selects the top ten foreign players of the season. Each demonstrated outstanding overall performance and played a crucial role in their teams’ seasonal outcomes. This list includes both well-established veterans with impressive stats this season and newcomers who joined recently.

1. Kazaishvili (Shandong Taishan, market value 1.2 million euros, same unit below)

Unsurprisingly, Kazaishvili was the best foreign player in the CSL this season—not only because he achieved his career-best offensive stats (27 goals and 5 assists) but also due to his overall impact—carrying the attack while actively contributing defensively. If not for Fabio’s four goals in the final round, Kazaishvili would have claimed both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot awards. He was involved in 46.4% of Taishan’s goals and formed the highest-scoring attacking trio in the CSL alongside Kresan and Zeca (50 goals combined). Against the four title contenders, he scored 11 goals and assisted 3 in 8 matches. He participated in 5 goals in the 6-0 victory over Guoan, scored all Taishan’s goals in the 3-3 draw with Shenhua, and netted twice in the 3-1 win over Haigang—three matches that significantly influenced the CSL title race, proving his exceptional cost-effectiveness.

2. Leonardo (Shanghai Haigang, market value 3.5 million euros)

This season, Haigang played without Oscar, Vargas, and Wu Lei, yet climbed from 4th place in round 11 to top the league by the penultimate round and ultimately defended their title—a remarkable feat. Haigang scored the most goals and won the most matches (20). Leonardo contributed to 29 goals (21 goals and 8 assists), crucially earning 29 points for the team and scoring vital goals to equalize or secure victories. In the last seven rounds, Haigang earned 18 points, with Leonardo as the key figure, scoring 8 goals and assisting 4. Without his consistent performances, Haigang might have fallen behind in the title race.

3. Timo (Chengdu Rongcheng, market value 600,000 euros)

Chengdu Rongcheng emerged as a title contender this season, holding on until the second-last round before losing hope. Their defense, the stingiest in the CSL, was key. As the defensive core, foreign center-back Timo was arguably the best defensive foreign player in the league. Not only was he a defensive anchor, but he also contributed offensively, scoring 5 goals and providing 2 assists, including 3 goals against strong opponents Haigang and Guoan.

4. Fabio (Beijing Guoan, market value 1.7 million euros)

Thanks to a four-goal haul against relegation-threatened Meizhou Hakka in the final round, Fabio overtook Kazaishvili to claim the CSL Golden Boot. His stats of 28 goals and 7 assists in 30 matches were impressive. Guoan’s half-season championship was closely linked to his 11 goals and 5 assists in the first half. Guoan remained unbeaten in 15 matches during the first half, with Fabio scoring or assisting against Shenhua, Rongcheng, and Haigang. Unfortunately, Guoan’s form faltered in the second half, causing them to drop out of the title race and leading to a dip in Fabio’s performance—he scored only once in five defeats over two months.

5. Felipe (Chengdu Rongcheng, market value 450,000 euros)

Felipe’s offensive stats (15 goals and 4 assists) don’t compare to Fabio, Kazaishvili, or Leonardo, but his contribution to Rongcheng goes beyond scoring and assisting. He draws significant defensive attention upfront, creating chances for teammates, and is very active defensively. As a forward, he committed the most fouls in the CSL, reflecting his defensive effort. Felipe is a highly versatile attacking player.

6. Kieles (Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, market value 1.5 million euros)

With a transfer fee of 1 million euros, Kieles delivered 16 goals and 4 assists, contributing to half of Jinmen Tiger’s goals—truly a bargain signing. Jinmen Tiger’s top-six finish was largely thanks to the 20 goals Kieles participated in, which earned 21 points, nearly half their season total. Besides scoring, his defensive ability is excellent, with 39 fouls and 22 tackles—impressive for a forward.

7. Vital (Shanghai Haigang, market value 2 million euros)

As Oscar’s replacement, Vital faced huge pressure with a transfer fee of only $350,000. After a slow start and criticism, he proved himself with 5 goals and 8 assists. The arrival of Melendo in the summer relieved some pressure and enhanced Vital’s impact. His form steadily improved, averaging 1.9 key passes per game, creating 14 clear scoring chances, with an 89% pass accuracy. Defensively, he averaged 1.8 interceptions, 5.4 ball recoveries, and 5.2 won one-on-one duels per match. His performance deserved a spot in the season’s best XI.

8. Dugalić (Shenzhen New Pengcheng, market value 500,000 euros)

As captain of Shenzhen New Pengcheng, Dugalić stands out among foreign defenders in lower-tier CSL teams. The Serbian defender led the league in clearances (248) and ranked near the top in interceptions (37). Shenzhen underwent a coaching change and faced relegation pressure but ultimately survived. Summer signing Wesley’s 10 goals were important, but the stable defense led by Dugalić was also crucial. In the last eight rounds, the team’s average goals conceded dropped from 2.27 to 1.1. Additionally, his 4 goals earned Shenzhen 6 vital points for survival.

9. Maya (Henan Team, market value 600,000 euros)

Joining on a free transfer, Maya exemplifies a high cost-performance foreign player. Alongside Maidana, they formed a "190+" tall center-back duo, a strong pillar for Henan’s survival. Maya’s defensive stats were impressive (200 clearances, 35 interceptions, 39 fouls), and he scored 6 goals with 2 assists—the best offensive stats for a CSL defender this season. Three goals and two assists came against relegation rivals, securing 13 critical points for Henan, a feat unmatched by other defensive foreign players on survival teams.

10. Mitrić (Zhejiang Team, market value 4 million euros)

A phenomenal foreign player in the CSL’s second half, Mitrić proved exceptional value for Zhejiang at 2 million euros. He is a top example of a foreign winger in the league, with 8 goals and 7 assists in 16 matches—almost half of Zhejiang’s goals during that period. Zhejiang’s average goals per game rose from 1.85 before his arrival to 2.13. To better serve the team, he retired from the Romanian national team.