On the morning of January 15th, Beijing time, Dalian Yibo, a newly promoted team in the Chinese Super League (CSL), officially announced the signing of two new foreign players: Malele, who played for Shanghai Shenhua last season, and Mamadou from Beijing Guoan, both joining as free agents. Both Malele and Mamadou are excellent foreign players in the CSL, and their acquisition by Dalian is expected to aid in their relegation battle. With Malele's official announcement, Dalian's winter transfer window has seen 10 players join and 6 leave. Yibo has acquired an all-round midfielder to succeed Zhao Mingjian.
The 31-year-old Malele, with a transfer value of 1 million euros, previously played 67 times for Shenhua, scoring 36 goals and providing 8 assists. Malele is physically strong, fast, able to play on the wing, and can act as a pivot in the center, making him very versatile. He is also known for his active running and tackling. Although some Shenhua fans criticized Malele for missing chances, it should be noted that he creates many opportunities due to his good positioning awareness, and his contributions to Shenhua far outweigh the missed opportunities.
The 30-year-old Mamadou played for Guoan for one season, averaging 5.68 clearances per game in the CSL last season, which was the most among Guoan players during the same period, ranking fourth in the CSL clearance chart with a passing success rate of 91%. This tall central defender, standing at 1.91 meters, is expected to become a key defensive player for Dalian Yibo.
In addition to Malele and Mamadou, Yibo has signed eight more players during the winter transfer window, including four players from Yunnan Yulong, the champions of the China League One. These include the versatile foreign midfield player Labrjad, left-back Cao Haqing and Zhao Jianan from Yulong, the latter having previously played for Dalian. Also joining are Liu Yi, a midfielder from Yulong, Huang Zihao, a goalkeeper from Nanjing City and a former U23 national team member, Wang Chengkai, a midfielder from Yanbian Longding, and defenders Cui Qi from Changchun Yatai and a young winger surnamed Wen from Shenhua, all now playing for Dalian Yibo.
All the new signings for Dalian Yibo have joined the team as free agents. In terms of departing players, central defender Robertson has become a free agent, while loaned players Kotnik, He Xiaqiang, and Zhou Yuande have all returned after their loans expired, leaving Dalian Yibo. Local midfielder Tian Yifan has joined Shenzhen Youth on a free transfer. Additionally, 37-year-old Zhao Mingjian has retired. He performed steadily in the midfield last season, particularly with his long passes being one of Dalian Yibo's attacking methods, making him a key contributor to their promotion.
After losing Zhao Mingjian, Dalian Yibo's midfield can rely on the new foreign player Labrjad, who has previously played for teams such as PSV Eindhoven, Sporting Portugal, and Ajax. The 31-year-old former Moroccan international is valued at 650,000 euros and scored 6 goals with 9 assists in 30 appearances for Yulong in the China League One last season, averaging 1.33 tackles per game. With excellent footwork, capable of both passing and shooting, Labrjad can play in various positions such as the No. 8 and No. 10 roles. The connection between Labrjad and Malele could be crucial for Yibo's relegation battle.