Jiangsu Suning FC record signing Ramires scores on debut

The Brazilian midfielder, who arrived from Chelsea last month for 28 million euros ($31 million), side-footed a volley from a right-wing cross to open the scoring in Jiangsu's 2-0 friendly win over FK Anzhi Makhachkala of Russia.

The 28-year-old's transfer fee was a record for a Chinese club -- until Asian champions Guangzhou Evergrande signed Atletico Madrid's Jackson Martinez for 42 million euros a week later.

The deals underline the financial clout of Chinese football, whose ambitions include both hosting and winning a World Cup.

Factoring in the top two levels of the sport, Chinese clubs have so far spent 251.0 million euros in the current transfer period -- which runs until February 26 in China -- while English clubs splashed out 285.9 million euros before the European window closed on Monday, according to the transfermarkt website.

The second-tier China League One ranked ahead of the Bundesliga in Germany, Spain's Primera Division and France's Ligue 1 for spending.