Transfermarkt has officially confirmed that Leonardo, the team's top scorer in the last two seasons, has officially joined Shanghai Port, the reigning champions.
As the saying goes, "Some are happy, some are sad." Zhejiang FC really wanted to keep Leonardo, but due to limited operating capital, they were unable to afford his high salary, which is why they had to let him stay on loan for two consecutive seasons.
Shanghai Port did not show much excitement about this deal. Initially, the team was only interested in Leonardo, but they did not reach the point of having to sign him. It was only later, after Wu Lei needed surgery and would require some time to recover, and the team struggled to find an ideal forward replacement, that they settled for Leonardo, who is familiar with the Chinese Super League (CSL) and possesses a certain level of ability.
With this move, Shanghai Port has assembled the top three scorers from last season's scoring chart: Wu Lei, Leonardo, and Gustavo. However, without the midfield coordination of Oscar and Bargos, it remains to be seen whether the front line's three attacking players can be invincible.
Originally, Leonardo's transfer had little to do with Shandong Taishan's strength. It even freed up a foreign player spot for the team, allowing them to receive a transfer fee and providing conditions for the signing of new players. However, fans still could not hide their disappointment and once again targeted the club management.
The focus of the doubts mainly centered around "How advanced is Taishan's tactics? How could they overlook a top striker who has been wreaking havoc in the CSL?"
Whether Taishan dislikes Leonardo due to tactical reasons or because his personal abilities do not meet the head coach's requirements is no longer important. After all, the situation is now set in stone, and from this moment on, Leonardo no longer belongs to Shandong Taishan.
However, as the saying goes, "Ice does not form three feet overnight." For a long time, Shandong Taishan has not only been a strong team in the league but also enjoyed a high reputation in the football world, at least domestically, as a veritable "big IP club." However, in recent seasons, the team has repeatedly encountered various problems, deeply hurting the hearts of the fans.
In recent seasons, apart from winning the FA Cup championship, there have been few other achievements. Since the previous season, a series of inexplicable problems have plagued the team. Issues involving Jin Jingdao, Hao Wei, Sun Zhunhao, and Wu Xinghan's personal conduct, as well as various injuries, have led to the team losing many matches they should not have lost, including some crushing defeats.
The team's recruitment efforts have been unsuccessful, and Choi Kang-hee's tactics have been widely questioned. There have also been conflicts with the club over various interests and rights issues. Now, during the winter break period, whether it's the title contenders or newly promoted teams to the CSL, they are all making big moves in the transfer market, with news of signings flooding in, and clubs constantly holding trials and signings. However, Shandong Taishan remains eerily quiet.
Furthermore, the preferred choice for winter training is usually abroad. Even if funds are not abundant, domestic locations with slightly warmer temperatures, like Hainan, would be chosen. However, Shandong Taishan has taken an unusual approach by selecting Shanghai as their winter training location. Given the current temperature in Shanghai, which is not much better than in Shandong, it is basically freezing cold. Judging from the training photos released by the club, the training is mostly indoors, and if outdoors, the players are heavily dressed. This not only affects the quality of training but also increases the risk of injury.
Regarding injuries, another strange decision made by Taishan during this training camp is that they will not participate in any friendly matches, citing concerns about players getting injured during confrontations.
All these problems mentioned above are the root causes of the team's lack of significant achievements in recent seasons. It can be said that the team's failure to achieve results is not because the opponents are too strong, but rather due to internal chaos within the team, leading to the current consequences.
The transfer of Leonardo to Shanghai Port has caused dissatisfaction among fans, who harshly criticize the club for its inaction. Is it really because of this transfer? Of course not. It is because of repeated disappointments accumulating over time, which eventually erupted all at once.
We hope that Taishan can realize that the team is currently consuming its "past merits and labels," and if one day they are truly exhausted, it will also be the time when fans officially leave. One might ask, if that day comes, what is the purpose of the club's existence?
The club needs a decisive manager who is not secretive, evasive, or procrastinating, and who promptly addresses problems. When problems arise, they should come forward and communicate with the fans in a timely manner to eliminate misunderstandings, just as Han Gongzheng did when he bravely stood before the fans with a loudspeaker. Instead of avoiding the situation as they are doing now.