According to the latest news from Xinmin Evening News, the hope of retaining the former naturalized international player Dai Weijun has been growing, especially his performance during the winter training has given Shenhua coach Sluiski a new understanding of him.
On January 18th, Beijing time, Shanghai Shenhua played their first friendly match after the start of the winter training, against Dalian Yingbo, a strong newly promoted team in the Chinese Super League. In the end, after a tough battle, Shanghai Shenhua easily defeated Dalian Yingbo 2-0. It is worth mentioning that in this 2-0 friendly match, although Dai Weijun came off the bench, he impressed Sluiski with his stunning performance and proved himself well.
From the situation of this game, after coming off the bench, Dai Weijun played as a shadow striker for Shanghai Shenhua, similar to the position of a winger and second striker. After he came on the field, he quickly entered the state, not only playing a good role in the offensive line, but also at a critical moment, he perfectly played the role of a goal finisher. Yu Han's wonderful assist, Dai Weijun calmly completed the shot, the timing and skill of the shot were just right, showing his excellent ability to seize opportunities in front of the goal.
After this battle, Dai Weijun left a deep impression on Shenhua coach Sluiski. It is no exaggeration to say that scoring a goal in this game has added an important weight to his retention for the new season.
In addition, in this winter window, Shanghai Shenhua's midfield lineup has not undergone major adjustments, which means that Dai Weijun will not have many new competitors in the midfield position. Everyone knows that Dai Weijun has a foundation in the English league and is very comprehensive in terms of overall ability. He can play as an attacking midfielder, defensive midfielder, winger, and shadow striker. If Sluiski retains him, it can greatly enhance the thickness of the team's midfield lineup. Therefore, as long as Dai Weijun firmly grasps every opportunity in training and friendly matches and fully demonstrates his value in the team's tactical system, there is still great hope for him to stay in Shanghai Shenhua.
Moreover, considering that in the new season, Shenhua will face three fronts of the Chinese Super League, AFC Champions League, and FA Cup, the team's strategic goal is to win the league championship, which requires the team to have a strong lineup depth. Taking this into consideration, as a midfielder with comprehensive abilities, Dai Weijun's retention becomes crucial for the team to cope with multiple fronts. If Dai Weijun can really stay, it would also be good news for Shanghai Shenhua.
Soon, Shanghai Shenhua will welcome the Super Cup and AFC Champions League matches, leaving Dai Weijun with many opportunities to prove himself. I hope he can finally impress Sluiski and solidify his position in Shanghai Shenhua. Looking forward to Dai Weijun becoming stronger and better in the new season and returning to the national team as soon as possible.