In the 2024 season, Shanghai Shenhua fans had high hopes for their team to compete for titles in both the Chinese Super League (CSL) and the Chinese FA Cup. However, crucial match errors led to the team narrowly missing out on the double crown. This outcome left head coach Sluisky disappointed, but he quickly shifted his focus to the CSL transfer market to infuse fresh talent into the team while also beginning to focus on nurturing young players.
Amid this wave of rejuvenation, 19-year-old Wang Hanlong emerged as a new star for Shenhua. He consistently displayed his talent in training and matches, earning attention from fans and the coaching staff with his stable goal-scoring efficiency. Wang Hanlong comes from the Slovenian youth training system and has won the Golden Boot award in the youth league. At 18, he firmly chose to join China, a decision that made him a key target for Shenhua's development. Wang Hanlong quickly adapted to Shenhua's system and shone brightly in the new season, earning the nickname "Dark Horse Forward" from fans.
Alongside Wang Hanlong is Liu Chengyu, a standout from Shenhua's 06 youth training program and a mainstay for the national youth team. Liu Chengyu once helped China secure a 2-0 victory over South Korea with a brace in a friendly match. His steady performance has made Shenhua increasingly value their youth resources, leading them to designate him as a key player and pair him with Wang Hanlong multiple times in the new season.
Shenhua's strategy for developing young talent is gradually bearing fruit, which naturally brings to mind the all-rounder Xu Haoyang from years past. Xu Haoyang was loaned from Shenhua's youth team to the China League One and gradually grew, becoming a dual mainstay for both the club and the national team. This example serves as a model for Shenhua to encourage young players not to seek quick success and instant benefits, and it has also set an example for newcomers like Wang Hanlong.
As Wang Hanlong and Liu Chengyu continue to excel, they have been defined as the twin stars of Shenhua's front line for the next decade. Their rise fills people with anticipation for Shenhua's future combat power. Especially Wang Hanlong, who is believed to first make a name for himself in the U21 league before gradually entering the first team to face more top-level opponents. As a benchmark for young players, his growth trajectory could become one of the highlights of the new season for Shenhua.
Shanghai Shenhua's strategy of rejuvenation proves that a team must strive to be strong in immediate fighting ability while also laying the groundwork for the long term in youth development. Through the performances of Liu Chengyu and Wang Hanlong, Shenhua fans see hope for the future and are inspired by the prospect of even greater glory for the team. Looking at the future development of this Shenhua team, a storm belonging to the young is just beginning to emerge, and the green legend of Wang Hanlong and Liu Chengyu is only just starting to unfold!