Rayo Vallecano: "It is abnormal to allow a sponsor to impose a transfer" (P. Jémez, manager)

"I do not think it should be possible for anyone outside the club to intervene in the sporting side. That may be the worst decision that the board have taken since I was here. It is abnormal to allow a sponsor to impose a transfer," said Paco Jémez, the manager of Rayo Vallecano (Liga BBVA), on 01/08/2015, regarding the signing of Chinese international Zhang Chengdong (18 caps).

Rayo Vallecano presented the arrival of Zhang Chengdong from Beijing Guoan FC (Chinese Super League, the first division), on 28/07/2015. The Chinese company Qbao.com, a mobile technology services provider, has extended its shirt sponsorship with Rayo Vallecano (Liga BBVA) and organised a match against Real Sociedad (Liga BBVA), another club sponsored by the company, in Nanjing (CHN) on 29/07/2015. The contract between Rayo Vallecano and Qbao.com includes a provision for the regular recruitment of Chinese players. It is in this context that Zhang Chengdong, who would become the first Chinese player to play in the Spanish first division, was recruited by the Madrid club.

"It's not about whether the player is…