With the official opening of the transfer window for the Chinese Super League (CSL) and China League One, teams are gearing up and actively seeking new signings to adjust their squads. The departure of Oscar from Shanghai Port marks the end of the era of big-money football in China, as he was the last remaining foreign player from that period. The estimated value of foreign players in the new season's CSL is around one million euros, a far cry from the glamour of previous years. However, with Song Kai taking over as the new chairman of the Football Association, measures have been implemented to relax restrictions on foreign players and prioritize youth training, reigniting interest among fans.
The two newly promoted teams, Dalian Yingbo and Yunnan Yukuang, have been particularly active in the transfer market. As the champions of League One, Yunnan Yukuang has undergone a major reshuffle, with all 21 players from last season leaving upon the expiration of their contracts. Confirmed new signings include naturalized player Hou Yongyong and foreign player Oscar, who is currently being naturalized by the national team. Other additions include former Meizhou Hakka player Ye Chugui and former Henan Jianye player Li Songyi. The team's budget for the new season is expected to be in the hundreds of millions, with three sponsors announced, including Yunnan Huofa Group, Yunnan Yuxi Xianfu Steel, and Yunnan Yuxi Yukuang Steel Group, each contributing 2 million yuan.
Yunnan is set to field a strong squad this season, with previous standout promoted teams like Wuhan Three Towns, Meizhou finishing eighth, Zhejiang winning the FA Cup runner-up + AFC Champions League, and Wuhan Three Towns claiming the title. Yunnan's performance in the new season is highly anticipated. Besides Yunnan, Dalian Yingbo has also started its transfer activities early in the off-season. They have already secured five new foreign players, making them the earliest to do so among all CSL teams. The signings include familiar faces such as Mamadou from Beijing, Ma Lele from Shanghai Shenhua's frontline, and Labu Yade from Yunnan's previous season. The midfield will feature a new foreign player, Alemi, a national team player from North Macedonia.
In terms of domestic signings, Dalian Yingbo has brought in five players, including defenders Cui Qi, Cao Haqing, and Song Yue, and midfielder Liao Jintao from Guangzhou. Liao Jintao, who was the core of Guangzhou's midfield last season, is a B2B midfielder and is expected to be the successor to Lv Peng. Both promoted teams are making significant changes to their squads, fully aware of the huge gap between the CSL and League One and the need for comprehensive upgrades.
Another Dalian team, Dalian Kuncheng, which successfully promoted to League One, has also completed its transfer activities during the off-season. Their three foreign players have been confirmed, all familiar faces. The forward is Musa, the former meritorious foreign player from Dalian Yifang, the defender is Sabil from Liaoning, and the midfield foreign player has also been determined. Last season's Dalian Yingbo foreign player, Kottik, joined the team. Kottik was the midfield core last season, tall and long-legged, with a focus on ground play and good footwork. The new season holds promise for both Dalian teams!
Additionally, Shi Xueqing, who recently took office as the deputy chairman of Dalian Kuncheng, has already left his position after just one week. He had only been in office for a month before hastily departing, and the specific reasons for his resignation are not yet known.