After Elkeson's departure, Chengdu Rongcheng has been left with an empty slot for naturalized players, which is expected to be filled in the new season. Recent reports suggest that Delgado will be loaned to Chengdu Rongcheng, but is he worth the anticipation?
Delgado joined Shandong Taishan in 2018, embarking on his journey in the Chinese Super League (CSL), and successfully gained Chinese citizenship the following year. However, his career in China has been fraught with twists and turns, falling short of expectations. At Shandong Taishan, he never received significant attention and was loaned out several times. Once loaned to the Portuguese league, he played a minor role, making only four appearances without any notable achievements, returning to Shandong Taishan with just a yellow card. Later, he was twice loaned to teams in the China League One but failed to secure a place in the starting lineup.
Despite this, Delgado is a player with distinct characteristics. Hailing from Portuguese youth training, he possesses good technical skills and spent a considerable amount of time in the Inter Milan youth ranks. However, judging from his performance in China, he struggled to integrate into the team, exhibiting traits similar to Mario Balotelli, occasionally appearing to "ponder life," and giving off an impression of laziness on the field. Perhaps it is these personality factors that have made it difficult for him to gain sufficient recognition and favor.
In reality, if we objectively analyze the data, his efficiency is quite commendable. For instance, in the 2021 season, he played a total of 18 games for Shandong Taishan, averaging only about 40 minutes per game, yet contributed 9 goals and 3 assists. In the previous season, despite playing in 32 matches, his average playing time was still less than 40 minutes, yet he managed to score 7 goals and provide 1 assist. As a substitute player, such a performance can be considered highly efficient.
From the above data, it is evident that Delgado possesses certain abilities; he just hasn't had enough opportunities to showcase them, which is fitting for a naturalized player.
For Chengdu Rongcheng, regardless of Delgado's abilities, what matters is whether he can fit into the current squad.
Fans familiar with Chengdu Rongcheng will know that the team lacked depth in their attacking bench last season, which was already evident. In the new season, after the departures of Palacios and Tang Chuang, even with the arrival of new foreign players, they will face multiple fronts and still need to reinforce their attacking options. Therefore, Delgado is a viable choice for the substitute lineup, and the loan arrangement also offers good value for money.
Whether he can perform at the level of Palacios remains to be seen, depending not only on himself but also on how head coach Xu Zhengyuan trains him. If Delgado can overcome his lazy tendencies and integrate into the team, he might pleasantly surprise Chengdu fans. Moreover, as long as he performs outstandingly, there is a possibility of him being selected for the national team in the future.