China U23 Captain Set for Loan Move to England’s League One — Don’t Underestimate It: The World’s No. 31 League Outshines the CSL

On January 31 (Beijing time), multiple authoritative domestic media outlets confirmed that Xu Bin—fresh off his official move to Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.—will be sent on a short-term loan to Barnsley F.C. to continue his development. The update, however, sparked dissatisfaction among some Chinese fans, with comments such as: “If he’s going to play in a lower-tier league in England, he might as well stay in the CSL and develop there.”

It’s true that EFL League One is England’s third division, sitting below the Premier League and the EFL Championship. But does “third tier” automatically mean the level is poor—especially when compared with the Chinese Super League?

Looking at two common reference points—Transfermarkt squad values and Opta’s power rankings—the CSL comes off clearly second best against League One.

From a market value perspective, the most valuable team in League One this season is Luton Town F.C. at €34.88 million. By comparison, the CSL’s highest-valued team is Shanghai Shenhua F.C. at €15.86 million—less than half of Luton’s figure.

If Shanghai Shenhua were placed into League One purely by squad value, they would rank only fifth, behind Luton, Cardiff City F.C., Bolton Wanderers F.C., and Huddersfield Town A.F.C..

The broader picture tells a similar story. Among League One’s 24 clubs, 10 are valued above €10 million. In the CSL, only four clubs surpass that threshold: Shanghai Shenhua, Shanghai Port F.C., Liaoning Tieren F.C., and Shandong Taishan F.C..

Opta’s global league strength rankings also underline the gap. While League One sits at No. 31 worldwide—well behind the Premier League (No. 1) and the Championship (No. 6)—it still comfortably outpaces the CSL, which is ranked No. 118. Even EFL League Two reportedly ranks higher than the CSL in the same framework.

Zooming in at club level, Shanghai Shenhua—the CSL’s top-rated side in this measure—would place only 19th among League One teams, narrowly below Barnsley. Barnsley, the club Xu Bin is expected to join on loan, is listed at No. 632 globally, meaning Shenhua would be rated higher than just six of League One’s 24 clubs.

Put together, the message is straightforward: League One isn’t the “weak” destination some fans assume. If Xu Bin can earn consistent minutes at Barnsley F.C., the intensity, rhythm, and competitive environment could very well accelerate his progress more than staying in the CSL—especially at this key stage of his development.