Recently, former national player Zhao Mingjian interacted with fans during a live broadcast on his social media, discussing the transfer details of his time with the Taishan team. According to his account, he left the team due to a strained relationship with head coach Felix Magath and was subsequently scouted by the owner of Huaxia Happiness after his impressive performance in the World Cup qualifiers. He then transferred to Hebei China Fortune.
Zhao Mingjian revealed that the Taishan team made a substantial profit from his transfer, with an initial contract value of 180 million yuan, and Huaxia Happiness actually paid 160 million yuan. Such a transfer fee is unimaginable in today's market, where even foreign players in the Chinese Super League do not command such high prices. The decision to sell Zhao Jianfei at that price proved to be a lucrative deal for the Taishan team.
Not only Zhao Mingjian, but during the golden era of football investment, the Taishan team frequently sold national-level players within their squad. Transfers of players like Zhang Wenzhao, Wang Yongpo, and Yang Xu brought significant financial gains to the team. Including Zhao Mingjian, the team earned at least 400 million yuan from these four transfers. These transactions not only provided economic returns but also laid a solid foundation for the team's youth training development.
The Taishan team dared to sell their national players primarily because of their robust youth training system. Luneng Football School, as one of the best youth training institutions in the country, continuously provides excellent talent to the Taishan team, which is key to maintaining their top-level status in domestic players. Moreover, the team's depth in reserves is among the best in the Chinese Super League. The money earned from selling players was reinvested into their own youth training system.
Now, the Taishan team's youth training system has become a banner in Chinese football. Recently, the Chinese Football Association specially issued an announcement thanking the Taishan team. In 2024, the Taishan Football Club contributed 74 players to various levels of the national team, ranking first among provinces, cities, professional clubs, and youth training institutions. This fully demonstrates the team's investment and achievements in youth training and has cultivated more talents for the future of Chinese football, which should be the best affirmation of the Taishan team's commitment to youth training.