Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino has said that he 'does not believe' that the money available in the Chinese Super League will be 'dangerous' for Premier League clubs.
Brazil international Oscar became the latest player to swap European football for China on Friday morning when it was confirmed that the 25-year-old had left Chelsea to move to Shanghai SIPG.
It is believed that Oscar will collect in excess of £400,000 a week during his time in China, while Shanghai are said to have parted with £52m to bring the playmaker to the super-rich league.
Pochettino, however, is confident that the Premier League will not lose its appeal to the top players due to the competitive and exciting nature of the division.
"I don't believe it's a danger for us. I accept all decisions, but it's sometimes difficult to understand this type of decision. Football for me is not only money, it is to be competitive and for me the Premier League is the most important league in the world," Pochettino told reporters.
"It's not only money, for me, it's a passion. I need to feel the competition. When you're in the Premier League you're competing with the best and that means a lot more than money.
"My players like to play football and like to compete with the best in the world and the Premier League is the place to be competitive. It would be strange for me if one of my players decided to move in that direction but everyone has different circumstances, and so I respect all opinions."
The likes of Jackson Martinez, Ramires, Gervinho and Graziano Pelle have all arrived in China over the last 18 months, while Carlos Tevez is also believed to be on the brink of a move.
Matt Law
