Recently, Beijing Guoan started to make bold changes in their formation during a friendly match and even had the veteran Wang Gang play as a center-back. This move did not surprise many Guoan fans, as they are familiar with the club's tendency to convert forwards into center-backs. Previously, Xu Yunlong made a successful transition from forward to center-back, and later Yu Dabao and Zhang Chengdong also switched to playing as center-backs towards the end of their careers. Therefore, Guoan fans were not particularly surprised when new coach Setien transformed Wang Gang into a center-back. However, Wang Gang's performance as a center-back has been average, with frequent positional errors appearing in recent friendly matches. In the friendly match against Dalian Yingbo, Wang Gang's defense was repeatedly breached by the opponent's new forward Malele. After 90 minutes of intense battle, Guoan narrowly lost 2-3 to their opponents. The only highlight of this friendly match was the impressive performance of new signing Dawan. Although Dawan has not yet been officially announced as joining Guoan, he has already taken the field wearing the team's jersey. Dawan immediately made an impressive debut by providing a precise assist, finding center-forward Fabio. Fabio did not disappoint Dawan's good intentions and turned the pass into a goal. Dawan scored in his first appearance for Guoan in the friendly match, which made many Guoan fans believe that bringing him to the team was the right decision. Dawan previously had a remarkable record of continuous goals in the Japanese league, becoming the core player of Gamba Osaka. Later, his outstanding…

With the official announcement of Liao Jintao's joining and Ali Mi's arrival, Dalian Yingbo's recruitment is basically nearing completion, and there will not be any more major signings. The team will end the winter training phase in Haikou this week and start the final preparations after the holiday. At 15:30 on January 21, Dalian Yingbo welcomed their third friendly match in Haikou against Beijing Guoan. In the previous two matches, they won 2-1 against Tongliang Long and lost 0-2 to Shanghai Shenhua. Facing the rhythm of the Chinese Super League level, Dalian Yingbo's players still need to adapt. Guoan almost sent out all their main players, making some adjustments to the starting lineup after several national team players returned. Setien also understands "human relations," with Zhang Yuning and Abreu starting as dual center forwards, trying to coexist. New foreign aid Dawan partnered with Guga, and Serginho played. Dalian Yingbo started with a single foreign aid for the second consecutive game, with the goalkeeper changed to Huang Zihao, Xiao Wen, Yang Mingrui, Song Yue, etc., starting consecutively. Malele, Mamadou, and other foreign aids were on standby, and facing strong teams continuously was a good exercise for Yingbo. Similar to the previous game, Dalian Yingbo started passively, with Guoan's passing and control and small-range cooperation being默契. Dalian's defense was vulnerable, and Guoan's simple long pass allowed Abreu to score the first goal with a solo shot, showing his hot form. Dalian Yingbo was relatively passive, with their backline easily breached, only Kalanga starting as a foreign aid, and no midfielders controlling the…

Unexpectedly, another warm-up match during the winter break has left fans surprised as the title contenders conceded three goals in just eight minutes, suffering a 3-2 reversal at the hands of the promoted team. Fans are now saying that letting go of one player was a mistake! Among the current Chinese Super League teams, there are not many capable of challenging for the championship. Besides the Shanghai duo, only Beijing Guoan stands a chance, with Chengdu Rongcheng still lacking in strength. Beijing Guoan's goal has always been to strive for the top, not necessarily to win first place, but to inspire the team and encourage players to be enterprising and fearless in the face of difficulties. In the 2024 season, Beijing Guoan missed out on the championship, but they did secure a spot in the AFC Champions League thanks to Shanghai Port's double championship. For the 2025 season, Beijing Guoan is undoubtedly aiming to improve further, so they made adjustments to their squad during the winter transfer window, releasing five players, including two veterans Zhang Chengdong and Yu Dabao, as well as foreign player Mamadou. During the winter break, Beijing Guoan's biggest gain was securing Serginho, allowing the team to have an additional foreign player for the new season, making the club a strong contender for the 2025 Chinese Super League title. After releasing players and bringing in new signings, the team naturally needs time to gel. On January 21st, Beijing Guoan faced newly promoted Dalian Yingbo in a friendly match. In terms of starting lineups, Dalian Yingbo only fielded…

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,…

The departure of Oscar marks the end of the golden era in the Chinese Super League (CSL), where big-name foreign players were bought at high prices. Now, the trend is shifting towards more affordable options, with players valued around one million becoming the new favorites for teams. In this context, the actions of two newly promoted teams are particularly noteworthy, as their recruitment strategies could potentially pave a new path for the future development of the CSL. Dalian Yibo, as a newly promoted team, has a clear strategy in their recruitment, focusing on familiar faces from the CSL. They have retained Kalanga, who has proven his abilities in the league and has a keen sense for scoring goals. Additionally, they have signed Marele, who played for Shanghai Shenhua last season, and Labiade, who previously played in Yunnan, both of whom can bring variety to the team's attacking play. In defense, they have signed Mamadou, who played for Beijing Guoan last season and brings valuable experience to stabilize the backline. The only foreign player yet to be officially announced is Alimi from North Macedonia, but there is anticipation for what he can contribute to the team. Dalian Yibo's lineup seems to have low integration difficulties, as these players are well-versed in the league's rhythm, which might lead to a "newly promoted miracle" in the new season. Yunnan Yukuang also made significant changes in their foreign player lineup during the offseason. They only kept Jonica from last season and have confirmed Portuguese midfielder Nene to strengthen midfield control. However, there was a…

The 2025 season of the Chinese Super League (CSL) is set to kick off in late February, with two newly promoted teams, Yunnan Yukuang and Dalian Yingbo, drawing particular attention as they make their debut in the top-flight league. Dalian Yingbo, representing the new banner of Dalian football, has also shown a strong competitive desire. The team acquired Marele from Shanghai Shenhua, who scored 16 goals last season, with a reported after-tax annual salary of around 1.1 million euros. Additionally, the team brought in Mamadou, the main central defender from Beijing Guoan last season, and Labuayed from Yunnan Yukuang. In terms of foreign players, Dalian Yingbo has targeted Alemi, a current Macedonian international midfielder who excelled in the Romanian league and is expected to become the core of the team's midfield. For domestic players, the team has recruited seven players, including Cui Qi and Wen Xiaojia, all with rich CSL experience, effectively enhancing the team's overall strength. Yunnan Yukuang, on the other hand, has made even bolder moves in player acquisitions. After the end of the golden era in the CSL, this newly promoted team invested heavily in the winter transfer window, signing multiple new players and becoming a new tycoon in the league. It is well-known that Yunnan Yukuang is backed by the powerful Yuxi Yukuang Steel Group, and they spare no expense in player acquisitions. Recently, Yunnan Yukuang signed Hou Yongyong, the first naturalized Chinese football player, with a transfer fee reportedly exceeding 1 million euros. Hou Yongyong previously played for Beijing Guoan but failed to meet expectations…

On the morning of January 15th, Beijing time, Dalian Yibo, a newly promoted team in the Chinese Super League (CSL), officially announced the signing of two new foreign players: Malele, who played for Shanghai Shenhua last season, and Mamadou from Beijing Guoan, both joining as free agents. Both Malele and Mamadou are excellent foreign players in the CSL, and their acquisition by Dalian is expected to aid in their relegation battle. With Malele's official announcement, Dalian's winter transfer window has seen 10 players join and 6 leave. Yibo has acquired an all-round midfielder to succeed Zhao Mingjian. The 31-year-old Malele, with a transfer value of 1 million euros, previously played 67 times for Shenhua, scoring 36 goals and providing 8 assists. Malele is physically strong, fast, able to play on the wing, and can act as a pivot in the center, making him very versatile. He is also known for his active running and tackling. Although some Shenhua fans criticized Malele for missing chances, it should be noted that he creates many opportunities due to his good positioning awareness, and his contributions to Shenhua far outweigh the missed opportunities. The 30-year-old Mamadou played for Guoan for one season, averaging 5.68 clearances per game in the CSL last season, which was the most among Guoan players during the same period, ranking fourth in the CSL clearance chart with a passing success rate of 91%. This tall central defender, standing at 1.91 meters, is expected to become a key defensive player for Dalian Yibo. In addition to Malele and Mamadou, Yibo has…

With the arrival of Mamadou, Dalian Yibo now has four foreign players: forwards Kalanga and Malele, attacking midfielder Labiade, and central defender Mamadou. They are just one short of completing their five foreign player quota, with only the last defensive midfielder puzzle piece missing. These four foreign players have all been tested in actual combat; Kalanga, Malele, and Mamadou were all mainstays in the Chinese Super League (CSL), not "blind boxes," while Labiade, although he played in the China League One last year, was once a regular in the Eredivisie and has experience on big stages. Just with these few foreign players, Yibo indeed has more confidence in avoiding relegation! According to a video shot by Wang Gang, the Yibo team reporter, Mamadou has arrived in Haikou and joined the entire Yibo squad. Before training, Dalian Yibo head coach Li Guoxu and the players warmly welcomed Mamadou with applause. Mamadou made a brief speech, saying that he was very happy to come to Dalian and hoped that everyone could defend the honor for this family and the city of Dalian and play an exciting season. Mamadou is currently 30 years old and made 27 appearances for Guoan in the 2024 season, contributing one assist. After his contract ended, both sides did not renew it, and Mamadou joined the newly promoted CSL team as a free agent. Both Malele and Mamadou have the character "Ma" in their names, and Dalian Yibo really has a connection with "Ma." The club's recruitment strategy is relatively clear; Malele was the main striker in last…

The transfer window for the Chinese Super League (CSL) and China League One has officially opened during the off-season, with two newly promoted teams making significant moves. Yunnan Yulong, after securing promotion to the CSL, underwent a major overhaul with 21 players from last season's main lineup leaving the team. This includes key players such as Du Jinlong, Liu Yuhao, Zang Yifeng, Li Guangwen, Cui Ming'an, Liu Yi, and Zhong Haoran, all of whom left upon the expiration of their contracts. In terms of foreign players, Musa and Labad left the team, while midfielder Joni remained. They have chosen Portuguese midfielder Nene for the defensive midfield position, who has previously been selected for the Portuguese national youth team. Up front, Cangzhou forward Okas has joined the team, and his naturalization procedures are currently underway; he is expected to play as a domestic player next season. Dalian Yingbo has made even bigger moves in terms of recruitment, having signed five domestic players so far. These include Liu Yi and Cao Haqing from last season's Yunnan team, Wen Jiabao from Shanghai Shenhua, Cui Lin from Changchun Yatai, and Wang Chengkai from Yanbian. Cao Haqing is set to become the starting left-back for the new season, with last season's starter He Xiaoqiang transferring to Chongqing. The right-back position will likely be contested between Cui Lin and Lv Zhuoyi. Similar to many teams promoted from China League One to the CSL, Dalian Yingbo had a thin foundation when they were promoted to China League One, and it was quite unexpected that such a lineup…

Agent's Amazing Move! Malele Signs a Three-Year Contract, Taishan Team Foreign Aid in Line, Xu Dong Joins Iron Man Team The 31-year-old Malele has reached a three-year contract with Dalian Inbo. Malele's addition is sure to inject a lot of vitality into Dalian Inbo's offensive line, which is undeniable. However, Malele is already 31 years old this year, and it feels a bit risky for Inbo to sign a three-year contract. On January 13th, the information from Dezhuan showed that Malele officially joined Dalian Inbo, and both sides signed a three-year contract. Malele played for Shanghai Shenhua in the 2023 season, making 67 appearances, scoring 36 goals, and providing 8 assists, becoming a free agent after the end of the 2024 season. Malele's current value on Dezhuan is 1 million euros. Due to his age disadvantage, Malele's value cannot rise significantly like young players. He signed a three-year contract with Dalian Inbo, which is undoubtedly a good choice at the end of his career. Some Dalian fans expressed: "Isn't this contract too long?" "To be honest, it doesn't seem reasonable." "For a foreign aid like 31 years old, a two plus one way would be more appropriate." "It can only be said that his agent is really capable." Shandong Taishan recently introduced foreign aid that can play as a defensive midfielder and center-back, which is really great! Think about how much this will enhance the team's defensive strength, it's really exciting! I hope he can perform well on the court and contribute to the team. This winter window, Taishan Club's…