Recently, Shanghai Port's new foreign aid has finally come into focus, which has made fans anxiously waiting!
Indeed, the Port finally released the news of the new signing during the winter transfer window, with several key foreign players and fresh faces about to join the team, which is undoubtedly an exciting signal for the rebuilding Port.
Everyone knows that with the tightening salary cap policy and increased operating pressure on the club, the Port's recruitment budget is not so generous.
Looking at those big moves before, the Port's recruitment style has completely changed.
Today, let's talk about how the Port finds a way out in these challenges.
Speaking of the Port's recruitment strategy, everyone should have a general idea: no longer big-money football, but pursuing higher cost-effective players.
Last year, the Port won the double crown, and this time they naturally can't disappoint the fans, but they can't spend money as freely as in previous years.
Affected by the salary cap policy, the Port's budget must be limited, and they can't recruit high-profile players with salaries of millions of euros.
This year's strategy is: precise recruitment, aiming to achieve great things with less money.
The Port's transfer targets have also changed significantly.
From the previous luxurious foreign aid lineup to the current cost-effective route, the club has obviously made adjustments.
For example, the Port previously tried to sign Brazilian midfielder Matheus Savio from Kashiwa Reysol, but when Urawa Reds made a move, they hijacked the deal, which was somewhat regrettable.
Then, the Port set their sights on Brazilian midfielder Yan Matheus from Yokohama F. Marinos, but due to the high asking price, this recruitment was eventually abandoned.
In other words, the Port has been forced to put down its arrogance and start looking for bargains this time.
But to be honest, the Port's choice this time, although it doesn't look so luxurious, it may not necessarily be a bad thing from a practical perspective.
On the contrary, those foreign players with high cost-effectiveness and great potential are more in line with the actual needs of the team.
The Port's achievements in recent years have proven that they don't necessarily need to rely on super-high-paid foreign players to create a gap with other teams. By playing steadily and cultivating potential stocks, they can still make waves in the Chinese Super League and AFC Champions League.
In addition to foreign aid, the Port also has new domestic aid this year, namely Tao Qianglong!
This 23-year-old young player joined the Port from Wuhan Three Towns, bringing his national team experience and injecting fresh blood into the Port's attacking end.
This is really a pleasant surprise for the Port.
If Tao Qianglong can fully realize his potential in the new season, it will be self-evident how much he can help the Port.
Now the depth of the team's bench has also been enhanced, especially the addition to the front line, which can definitely provide more choices and guarantees for the Port on the road to winning the championship.
However, let's not rush to judgment. Although the Port's transfer operations are clever, there are actually many problems.
For example, the departure of Balde and Oscar has brought considerable pressure to the Port's squad adjustment.
These two foreign players were once the core strength of the Port, especially Oscar, whose departure means that the team's midfield creativity will face a severe test.
At this moment, whether the Port can successfully introduce new foreign aid to fill these gaps is particularly critical.
In addition, the buyout issue of Brazilian midfielder Chitadini has become a difficult problem that remains unresolved.
If the buyout is not successful in the end, then the Port will have to reorganize their defensive midfield position.
These uncertainties also make the Port's squad construction full of challenges, but as Muscat said, the team still possesses the strength to challenge for the championship.
As long as they can reasonably adjust the squad, strengthen their weaknesses, and maintain competitiveness, the Port still has a chance to defend their title.
Some netizens also expressed their opinions: Honestly, the Port's round of recruitment this time does not seem as luxurious as before, but in fact, this pragmatic approach may not necessarily be the wrong choice.
After all, the current Chinese Super League market no longer has so many star players at bargain prices.
By carefully selecting a few cost-effective ones, better results can be achieved instead.
Some fans are worried about the adaptation of the newcomers: With so many new faces, especially foreign players, can they quickly integrate into the team?
After all, the departures of Oscar and Balde left significant gaps.
I hope these newcomers can get into shape immediately, otherwise they might falter right from the start.
However, many people are optimistic about the future of the Port: Don't underestimate the Port this time; the foundation of this team is too solid, and Muscat has always been a coach who knows how to use resources wisely.
As long as the introduction of foreign aid is appropriate and Tao Qianglong performs well, the Port is still one of the strongest teams in the Chinese Super League.
In fact, looking at the entire Chinese Super League, the Port is not the only club facing budget constraints. Other traditional giants are also adjusting their strategies, trying to save costs while maintaining competitiveness.
It is quite comforting that the Port can still make such recruitment decisions in this environment.
Compared to some teams that blindly burn money, the Port appears more pragmatic and rational.
The Port's goal for the 2024 season is still very clear - to continue competing for the championship, especially to defend their Chinese Super League title.
The adjustment of the squad and the introduction of foreign aid are undoubtedly the keys to whether they can successfully achieve this goal.
Regardless, in the new season, the Port, while retaining their core squad, can still have a great chance to achieve good results in various competitions with the help of young players and cost-effective foreign aid.
Fans' expectations are absolutely justified.