Major signing in the Chinese Super League: Zhejiang’s new No.10, a 29-year-old midfield maestro who scored against Bayern Munich in last season's Champions League.

Since the Chinese Super League moved away from the era of big-money football, few genuinely talented players have transferred to the English Premier League in recent years. This winter transfer window, the CSL secured a blockbuster signing: Zhejiang’s new No.10, a player in his prime who last season scored against the Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Official announcement from the Chinese Super League’s Zhejiang club: the team has signed the 29-year-old Croatian midfielder.TolićThe two sides agreed on a three-year contract lasting until the end of 2028. The player will wear Zhejiang’s No.10 jersey and become the team’s new playmaker.

According to Transfermarkt data, this major signing by Zhejiang came on a free transfer with no transfer fee involved. Before joining Zhejiang, Tolić played for Slovak club Slovan Bratislava, appearing in 110 matches across all competitions and contributing 29 goals and 30 assists. He is a versatile midfielder capable of both passing and shooting, serving as the team’s central figure. In the 2024-25 Champions League season, Tolić scored against Bayern Munich, proving he possesses Champions League-level quality.

At 29 years old, Tolić is in his prime for modern football, especially considering he has Champions League experience before moving to the CSL. Standing 1.89 meters tall and right-footed, he can operate as an attacking midfielder or central midfielder. He excels at controlling the game tempo through precise passing, organizing the team’s offense, and also has the ability to carry the ball forward and make late runs into the box to score. Tolić can be viewed as an enhanced version of Flick, with a market value of 2 million euros on Transfermarkt.