Arsene Wenger predicts first £100m player - but who will it be?

Guangzhou Evergrande’s capture of Colombia star Jack Martinez for £31m and, on Friday, Jiangsu Suning’s coup in luring Alex Teixeira for £38m have underlined the power emanating from the Chinese Super League.

In a matter of weeks, China has positioned itself as one of the most lucrative markets in football, with reports of Yaya Toure being offered £575,000 per week if he decides to leave Manchester City for one of the three teams vying for his signature.

The Premier League’s huge new TV deal comes into effect in the summer and it had been thought that English clubs would have a clear path to cherry-pick the best players from the rest of the continent – but now Chinese clubs are in the equation too.

What effect will that have? Arsene Wenger, a trained economist lest we forget, anticipates a summer of transfer super-inflation. Chinese demand and English riches could combine to produce the world’s first nine-figure transfer.

“Yes, of course, the Premier League should be worried,” said Wenger. “Because China looks to have the financial power to move a whole league of Europe to China."

Asked if the Chinese clubs could cause inflation in the market, Wenger replied:. “Yes, they could. But I believe that anyway the inflation is on our doors with the next TV deal in the summer. That will move up again the transfer prices. I am sure that soon the £100m target will be easy to reach.”

But who will the first £100m player be? Vote in our poll below.