Shanghai SIPG general manager Sui Guoyang has defended paying €60 million for Chelsea midfielder Oscar.

Guoyang defended the outlay of such large transfers fees and salaries from Chinese clubs, insisting it is the only way to bridge the gap between the CSL and the top leagues in Europe.

"If we don't offer €60 million, do you think he will bother to come?" he said.

"There's such a huge gap between CSL and Europe's top leagues. It's unrealistic to suggest that we would have done it in a different way.

"The cost of signing the player was €60m indeed, not £60m. The club's senior management personally flew to Paris to seal the deal."