Perhaps the biggest story of this transfer season has been the influence of the Chinese Super League, now flush with cash after a $1 billion TV deal and only allowed to have four foreigners on their roster. Fredy Montero is among a litany of relatively young European-based players who have accepted well over-market-rate salaries and transfers to make the move. Apparently, Nelson Haedo Valdez had an opportunity to join them but chose to turn it down and remain in Seattle (read the full interview here).

Nelson Valdez says his agent approached him w/ offseason interest from China. "I said I didn't want to know nothing. I am happy in Seattle." — Matt Pentz (@mattpentz) February 9, 2016

Based on some of the fees being paid for players with European pedigree, it's safe to say that Valdez was probably due a significant raise and the Sounders may have even seen a nice chunk of Allocation Money from a transfer fee. Regardless of whether or not you see Valdez as an excess resource, it's still nice to see that kind of loyalty from a player. It also likely speaks to part of the reason why the Sounders were so interested in not only bringing in Valdez, but keeping him around.