The train of 2024 is about to reach its destination, while the flight of 2025 is ready to take off. Players from various Chinese Super League (CSL) teams who are free agents are preparing to disembark, bidding farewell to the train they've ridden for a season as they head to their next destination.
Beijing Guoan has become the first team to change coaches during this offseason, with Spanish coach Quique Setién taking over half a month ago. However, he has yet to join the team and will only arrive in Haikou for the second phase of winter training. Former Beijing Guoan foreign aid player Jonathan Viera, once a favorite of Setién, may return to the team during the winter window, and there may have been contact between the two parties.
In addition, Beijing Guoan is in contact with Yan Dinghao from Chengdu Rongcheng, Yuan Mincheng from Changchun Yatai, and overseas Chinese player Liao Yangyang. The naturalization process of the soon-to-be-joined Serginho is also progressing steadily. Naturally, with new signings come departures; Setién plans to abandon the dual foreign center-back combination, meaning one of Mamadou or Engadu will leave. Duan Dezheng may go to Yunnan Yulong, Zhang Chengdong is expected to join Qingdao West Coast, and Li Ke has been rumored to be joining Chengdu Rongcheng. Previously rumored to possibly join Shenzhen Xinpengcheng, young overseas player Wu Shaocong is now also associated with Beijing Guoan.
Alan joined Qingdao West Coast at the beginning of the season, but Li Ke was called up by the national team and missed several World Cup qualifiers due to injury in the second half of the year. Negotiations for his contract renewal with the team are ongoing, and it is likely that he will continue to stay with the team. Alan also recently received the honorary title of Top Ten Athletes in Qingdao.
There are rumors that Qingdao West Coast's foreign players, Riascos and Biwuer, will leave the team. Besides retaining Alan, the team plans to introduce He Xiaoke from Shandong Taishan, Zhang Chengdong from Beijing Guoan, and possibly loan Portuguese defender Richeli, valued at 2.5 million euros.
After losing a large number of key players including Serginho, Zui, Yuan Mincheng, Zhang Yufeng, Liu Yun, Liao Chengjian, and Wang Jinxian, Changchun Yatai has entered the transfer market. Besides trying to retain Li Shenyuan, Xie Hui is interested in foreign player He Wei from China League One's Guangxi Pingguo Haloo and has had contact with Ru Zinan from Meizhou Hakka. Additionally, it was revealed overnight that the team is eyeing Pape Sarr, the top scorer in Ligue 2, who has scored 10 goals and provided 1 assist in 14 appearances, starting 13 times this season, showing impressive efficiency.
This afternoon, according to Zhejiang fans, the main goalkeeper of China League One's Guangzhou team, Huo Shenping, may join Zhejiang team to become the second-choice goalkeeper. This transfer would allow Guangzhou to receive a transfer fee, strengthening Zhejiang while also benefiting Guangzhou, achieving two goals with one action.
Ye Chugui from Meizhou Hakka also posted yesterday, officially bidding farewell to the team and setting off on a new journey. His next destination could be newly promoted Yunnan Yulong.
With Christmas in the West already past and New Year's Day in our motherland approaching, the new year will see the winter transfer window open. It is highly likely that all 16 CSL teams will successfully gain entry, with the strength of the teams showing a clear polarization. There are 6-8 teams whose rosters are getting stronger, while 5-6 teams have undergone major changes, and some teams have seen their main players leave, leading to a decline in strength. The championship group will continue to expand in the new season, while the relegation group still occupies half of the league.
Transfer news comes every day, and fans eagerly await each update. Most of the news in the CSL is just rumors, as the winter window has not yet opened.