Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune has signed China national team defender Zhang Chengdong in a transfer record deal for a local player worth $12 million.

Zhang, 27, now holds the record of being the most expensive local player in the Far East country's top-tier football league, ESPN reported.

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The China international is a former Beijing Guoan defender who played with then La Liga squad Rayo Vallecano during the 2015-2016 season.

Zhang began his senior career in 2006 with Liaoning Whowin before moving to Portugal to play for Mafra in 2009, becoming the first Chinese player to compete in Europe's big leagues. He spent four seasons there before he was bought back by Guoan in the summer of 2013 for an undisclosed fee.

Initially, there were rumors that his transfer fee could move up to $22 million. However, in the end, both the Imperial Guards and Samba Kings settled for the $12 million deal, to set a record domestic transfer fee, according to Xinhua.

Zhang's former Beijing Guoan teammate and fellow Baoding City native Lang Zheng was also signed by Hebei China Fortune for an undisclosed fee. Baoding City is a part of northern China's Hebei province, and so the two players' transfer moves are considered as "coming home" deals for both defenders.

Hebei China Fortune's senior officials are said to be optimistic that both Zhang and Lang will "make a great contribution to the club and strive for the success of football in the province."

The news of Zhang and Lang's signings come in the aftermath of rumors linking Hebei China Fortune to some of the world's top superstars, including Lionel Messi and James Rodriguez.

Hebei was speculated to have offered La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid $117 million for Rodriguez, but an unnamed team spokesman denied the rumors, saying that the team has not made any attempt to sign the Colombia team captain.

"They linked us with Messi before, now we are 'after' James Rodriguez," said Hebei's spokesperson. "Who's our next target? Cristiano Ronaldo?"

TagsChinese Super League, Chinese Super League news, Chinese Super League News 2017, Zhang Chengdong, Hebei China Fortune FC