The departure of Oscar marks the end of the golden era in the Chinese Super League (CSL), where big-name foreign players were bought at high prices. Now, the trend is shifting towards more affordable options, with players valued around one million becoming the new favorites for teams. In this context, the actions of two newly promoted teams are particularly noteworthy, as their recruitment strategies could potentially pave a new path for the future development of the CSL.
Dalian Yibo, as a newly promoted team, has a clear strategy in their recruitment, focusing on familiar faces from the CSL. They have retained Kalanga, who has proven his abilities in the league and has a keen sense for scoring goals. Additionally, they have signed Marele, who played for Shanghai Shenhua last season, and Labiade, who previously played in Yunnan, both of whom can bring variety to the team's attacking play.
In defense, they have signed Mamadou, who played for Beijing Guoan last season and brings valuable experience to stabilize the backline. The only foreign player yet to be officially announced is Alimi from North Macedonia, but there is anticipation for what he can contribute to the team. Dalian Yibo's lineup seems to have low integration difficulties, as these players are well-versed in the league's rhythm, which might lead to a "newly promoted miracle" in the new season.
Yunnan Yukuang also made significant changes in their foreign player lineup during the offseason. They only kept Jonica from last season and have confirmed Portuguese midfielder Nene to strengthen midfield control. However, there was a setback in the defensive line with the incident involving Serbian central defender Zrlmanokovic.
The contract details were finalized, and he arrived in Yunnan, but after just one day, without saying anything, he and his agent turned back to Europe, causing significant trouble for Yunnan. According to local journalists in Yunnan, Zrlmanokovic felt that the urban environment in Yunnan was not up to par with Serbia and was concerned about adapting to the high-altitude climate. There were also rumors that he demanded a last-minute price increase, which was rejected by Yunnan, leading to his change of heart. Regardless of the reason, his behavior was unprofessional and caused unnecessary delays for the team.
Last season, Yunnan experienced a similar situation with Labiade, who performed well but transferred to Dalian to assist Marele this year. Many fans support Yunnan and believe that they should take a tougher stance against such unprofessional foreign players. It should be noted that Yunnan Yukuang's home ground is in Yuxi, a high-altitude location that poses a significant challenge to visiting teams. The team has also upgraded their home stadium, which will be able to accommodate 30,000 people upon completion, indicating that the facilities are not lacking.
The trend of foreign players in the CSL becoming more affordable is due to the overall environment and also presents new opportunities for the league. In the past, big-name foreign players did attract attention, but they also led to a false prosperity in the league and squeezed the growth space for domestic players. By choosing cost-effective foreign players, teams can now focus more on overall tactical coordination and tap into the potential of domestic players.
However, this also poses challenges, as finding suitable foreign players within limited budgets tests the vision and operational capabilities of each team's management. Teams like Dalian Yibo and Yunnan Yukuang mostly choose foreign players who have proven themselves in the CSL, which is a relatively stable approach. But they must also guard against situations like Zrlmanokovic's, to avoid ending up with nothing.
The significant moves made by these two newly promoted teams during the offseason indicate that they are not here to underperform in the CSL. Dalian Yibo aims to quickly integrate into the league with familiar foreign players, while Yunnan Yukuang, despite some setbacks in foreign player recruitment, is working hard to build a competitive lineup. Their proactive attitudes are beneficial for enhancing the intensity of the CSL.
Ambitious newly promoted teams can put pressure on established strong teams, motivating them to improve their strength. Similar to the catfish effect, it can invigorate the CSL. Perhaps in the new season, these two newly promoted teams could become dark horses that disrupt the CSL landscape, bringing more surprises to fans.