On January 2nd at noon, Beijing time, the 29-year-old Brazilian midfielder Serginho posted a photo of himself on social media, announcing that he had set off to return to China. Notably, Serginho also excitedly displayed the bright red five-star flag, seemingly hinting that he is about to become naturalized and join the Chinese men's national football team.
It is reported that Serginho departed from Sao Paulo, Brazil, and will transit through Doha, expected to arrive in Beijing at around 2:00 PM on the 3rd. Afterwards, he will head to Haikou to participate in the second phase of winter training with Beijing Guoan.
Originally, Serginho planned to depart on the 4th, but as a candidate for naturalization, he needs to complete some necessary work procedures before joining the Guoan winter training, so he ultimately decided to leave two days earlier.
It is worth noting that Serginho officially joined the Chinese league by signing with Changchun Yatai on January 24, 2020. If everything goes smoothly, theoretically, this Brazilian midfielder could complete his naturalization procedures as early as the 25th of this month.
According to previous revelations from domestic media, the naturalization procedures for Serginho and another naturalization candidate, Oscar, are progressing very smoothly, with various relevant departments actively cooperating to help both players catch up with the 18th round of matches, rounds 7 and 8, starting in March.
Born on March 15, 1995, Serginho plays as an attacking midfielder. Last season, as captain, he made 25 appearances for Yatai, contributing an impressive record of 8 goals and 8 assists. Serginho's technical characteristics include his proficiency in organizing and linking the midfield and frontcourt, especially his penetrating passes and running ability in defensive counterattacks. His technical features are undoubtedly expected to bring significant assistance to the Chinese men's national football team in their upcoming four crucial matches in the 18th round.