Top English Football Referee Mark Clattenburg Interested In Moving To Money Spenders China (Read)

Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg would consider officiating in the Chinese Super League.

The 41-year-old refereed the finals of the FA Cup, the Champions League and the European Championship in 2016.

Clubs in China have been making huge offers for players – with deals agreed for Chelsea midfielder Oscar and former Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez.

“There is no offer on the table but if they made an offer it would be under consideration,” he said.

Clattenburg, who officiated at his first Premier League match in 2004 and has been in charge of 386 English top-flight games to date, was named referee of the year at a football awards ceremony in Dubai in late December.

China is seeking to become a major football nation, with Tevez the newest recruit to the country’s Super League.

The forward, 32, signed for Shanghai Shenhua on Thursday in a deal reportedly worth £40m, with a salary in excess of £310,000 a week.

In addition, Real Madrid were offered about £250m by an unnamed Chinese club for Cristiano Ronaldo, according to his agent.

But Clattenburg believes that there could be a role for him in the development of Chinese match officials as the sport grows in popularity.

“It’s important to have the right quality of referee to go with the level of football,” he added. “China is going to become a huge player in years to come.

“If they want to be serious about their league they are going to have to have the right set-up. Refereeing is a huge part of football.

“At the moment I still enjoy working for the Premier League and Uefa. If an opportunity came along – I am contracted to the Premier League – but I have to look at my long-term strategy of my career.

“How long can I last as a referee? I have been in the Premier League 12 years. It’s been a wonderful 12 years.”