In January, the domestic football scene once again became a focal point in the sports world, primarily due to the phenomenon of clubs bidding farewell to professional leagues. Among them, the well-known Guangzhou team was unable to escape its fate of disbandment and had to officially announce its withdrawal from professional leagues. Looking back at Guangzhou's history, it can be said that this is a club with a 70-year history, having won numerous championships including the AFC Champions League, Chinese Super League, FA Cup, and Super Cup. Now, reaching the point of disbandment, the huge contrast has also caused sighs from the outside world, and with the official announcement, the exit has become an irreversible fact.
Although the club cannot continue, the players' careers must go on. After all, the current Guangzhou team still has many young and promising stars, among which the absolute mainstay Wang Shilong has received much attention. This 23-year-old fast horse on the flank has attracted the pursuit of many Chinese Super League teams. On one hand, Wang Shilong's position is right-back, and there is a scarcity of wing-back players in the domestic football scene. The potential he has shown has also made the Chinese Super League teams feel impressed and eager to make a move early to complete the signing.
On the other hand, Wang Shilong is only 23 years old and is in the ascending stage of his career. As early as the 2020 season, he completed his Chinese Super League debut and subsequently became a protégé of Zheng Zhi. Last season, he played 29 times, becoming an indispensable member of the Guangzhou team, further proving his own value. When the outside world was speculating about Wang Shilong's next move, an informed media person shared a photo, which was a photo of Wang Shilong with fans, and he had already put on the training uniform of the Shanghai team.
It is not difficult to see that last season's Chinese Super League runner-up has taken the lead, and with Guangzhou's departure, Wang Shilong has also gained free agency, which has helped Shanghai save a considerable transfer fee expenditure. Of course, being able to directly upgrade from the China League One to a more competitive Chinese Super League club is also very beneficial for Wang Shilong's growth path.
After Guangzhou's withdrawal, Wang Shilong also became the first player exposed to have found a new home. After joining a strong team, Wang Shilong needs to come up with more convincing performances. After all, the competition for positions in Shanghai is quite fierce. If he can stabilize his position, Wang Shilong is likely to attract the attention of the national team coaching staff and becoming a national team player is no longer a dream. However, if he fails to adapt, this rising star will also face the risk of elimination.