Once Wu Lei left for La Liga's RCD Espanyol, he quickly became the focus of fans and media across China. Many fans even woke up in the middle of the night to watch Espanyol's matches just to catch a glimpse of Wu Lei's performance on the field. His goal against FC Barcelona, one of the giants of La Liga, sent the nation into a frenzy. However, since Wu Lei's return from Espanyol, no other Chinese player has appeared in either La Liga or the Segunda División.
Now, a young Chinese talent has emerged in Spain with the potential to follow in Wu Lei's footsteps and join the Segunda División (second tier). Spanish media suggests that this young Chinese player is more suited to compete in the Segunda División than Wu Lei, as he possesses a stronger physique and superior heading ability, making him a more comprehensive player overall.
In August of this year, the 19-year-old Du Yuezheng transferred from Póvoa de Varzim's youth team, which competes in the fifth tier of Portuguese football, to Marbella FC, a team in the third tier of Spanish football (Xijiajia). Initially, neither Spanish nor domestic media were optimistic about Du Yuezheng's prospects at Marbella, believing he would be a benchwarmer at best.
However, after joining Marbella, Du Yuezheng has consistently been given playing opportunities in the Xijiajia league.
On September 8th, in the third round of Group B of the 24-25 Xijiajia season, Du Yuezheng made his official debut for Marbella against Ceuta, coming on as a substitute in the 82nd minute and thus making his first appearance in the Xijiajia (third-tier Spanish league).
On December 2nd, in the 15th round of the Xijiajia league, Marbella lost 2-3 to Atletico Madrid B. The 19-year-old Chinese forward Du Yuezheng came on as a substitute in the 65th minute and scored a header in stoppage time, overpowering Argentine U20 international central defender Spina of Atletico Madrid B!
On December 22nd, in the 18th round of the Xijiajia league, Marbella defeated Real Balompédica Linense 3-1. Du Yuezheng came on as a substitute in the 66th minute and played a pivotal role on the flank in the 78th minute, drawing three defenders from Balompédica and setting up teammate Javier Duarte's cross that led to Hanza's goal, indirectly contributing to Marbella's third goal.
Since his debut for Marbella in the Xijiajia league on September 8th, Du Yuezheng has made a total of 9 appearances for the team by December 23rd. Among these, he has made 7 appearances in the Xijiajia league, scoring 1 goal, and started twice in the Copa del Rey (equivalent to the FA Cup).
Marbella FC has won both their Copa del Rey matches so far, beating Xijiajia's Bercianos de Leon 2-1 in the first round and Segunda División's Burgos CF 1-0 in the second round. In both these Copa del Rey matches, the 19-year-old Chinese player Du Yuezheng started. In the third round of the Copa del Rey, Marbella will face La Liga giants Atlético Madrid next year.
Du Yuezheng stands at 1.87 meters tall, weighs 77 kilograms, has delicate footwork and basic skills, possesses good heading ability, and is not slow on the field. His position is center-forward/forward. Spanish sports media has praised Du Yuezheng as a lucky charm, jokingly saying, "Whenever he comes on the field, Marbella is sure to score," which also indicates that the 19-year-old has quickly integrated into the Marbella team. Currently, Du Yuezheng serves as a main rotational forward for Marbella in the Xijiajia league (third-tier Spanish league).
Group B of the Xijiajia league consists of 20 teams, and 18 rounds of matches have been completed. Marbella ranks 12th. Marbella is only two points away from the promotion playoffs, with the team aiming to upgrade to the Segunda División next year. If this happens, Du Yuezheng could very likely represent Marbella in the Segunda División next year.
Additionally, many scouts from Segunda División and La Liga teams visit the Xijiajia league to observe and evaluate young players. If Du Yuezheng performs well in the Xijiajia league or the Copa del Rey, it is not out of the question that a Segunda División or La Liga team might consider signing the 19-year-old.
Spanish sports media states that while Wu Lei's strengths lie in his positioning and speed, Du Yuezheng's advantages come from his all-around abilities, especially his strong physique, which may make him more suitable for the Segunda División. Du Yuezheng's only shortcoming is his lack of match experience, which requires more training in the Xijiajia league. On the other hand, Wu Lei may be more suited for La Liga and not the Segunda División, as he does not have a physical advantage in the latter. What do you think about the analysis by Spanish sports media?