On the last day of 2024, several players announced their retirement or departure from their clubs, providing a clearer picture of the squad adjustments for various teams. On December 31, 2024, three national team-level players, Yu Dabao, Cao Yunding, and Zhao Mingjian, successively announced their retirement. Yu Dabao is known as the "lucky charm" of the national team, having played 65 times for the national team, scoring 19 goals, ranking tenth in the national team's historical top scorers list, with an additional 8 assists. He has scored decisive goals in rainy matches against Iraq, overturned Kyrgyzstan in the 19th Asian Cup, headed the ball past South Korea's goal in Changsha in 2017, and scored within 80 seconds against the Philippines, creating memorable moments for Chinese football fans. Cao Yunding is a loyal blue-blooded player who joined Shanghai Shenhua in 2011 and served for 14 seasons, playing a total of 350 games and scoring 39 goals. However, at the national team level, Cao Yunding's statistics are mediocre, having only played 5 times for the national team without scoring any goals or assists. Zhao Mingjian once won the FA Cup with Shandong Taishan. He has played 9 times for the national team, contributing 2 assists. Although there were rumors that Zhao Mingjian would renew his contract and play for another year, he himself announced his retirement on the last day of 2024 through a live broadcast. The new season of the Chinese Super League will not see the three veterans Yu Dabao, Cao Yunding, and Zhao Mingjian take the field. In addition,…

Shanghai Shenhua is set to undergo significant changes during the winter break, not only by reinforcing their squad with new signings but also by overhauling their existing roster to optimize it. It is reported that the club is planning a major overhaul, with many underperforming players potentially facing the axe.‌ As anticipated by the media, Shanghai Shenhua recently announced that four key players' contracts have expired and will not be renewed, effectively discarding these four individuals. They are Cao Yunding, Malele, Jin Yangyang, and Xu Yougang. Additionally, a former Evergrande prodigy, Wen Xiaojian, faces an even harsher fate as his contract has been terminated prematurely.‌ Cao Yunding, a veteran player at 35, has seen a decline in physical capabilities and competitive form due to age. After the arrival of Slutsky in the 2024 season, he gradually lost his place, only making seven substitute appearances, failing to meet the team's high-intensity match requirements. Hence, it is reasonable for Shenhua not to renew his contract. Despite scoring 36 goals in 67 matches over two seasons, foreign striker Malele missed a staggering 28 goal-scoring opportunities, lacking the ability to seize chances in front of goal, leading to the club's frustration with him.‌ Jin Yangyang's removal is primarily due to the rise of young talents like Jiang Shenglong and Zhu Chenjie, causing him to lose his starting position and become dispensable. Statistics show that in the 2024 season, he was reduced to a mere decoration, without any Chinese Super League appearances, making it natural for him not to receive a renewal from Shenhua. Xu…

Recently, the transfer strategy of Tianjin Tigers has attracted considerable attention from fans, especially after news emerged that they are continuing to scout players from Shanghai Shenhua. Discussions among fans have been lively and varied. This approach may seem clichéd, but upon closer examination, it is indeed a relatively stable method—acquiring talented players from nearby competitors not only strengthens one's own team but also weakens the opponent's strength, making for a significant move. Moreover, Tianjin Tigers' current transfers aim not only to deepen their squad but also specifically target several promising players. Let's take a look at their transfer ideas and objectives. Speaking of Tianjin Tigers' transfer strategy, everyone might know that this team has consistently supplemented their lineup through loan transfers from other clubs, particularly Shanghai Shenhua, over the past few years. This is a painstaking effort—ensuring the players' abilities while avoiding excessive transfer fees, which can be considered a very shrewd operation. This strategy seems to have achieved good results in the past few seasons. For example, Zhang Wei joined Tianjin Tigers through this method. Zhang Wei, who should be familiar to everyone, was very eye-catching at Hebei China Fortune earlier, with domestic golden boots and goals galore, he was simply a star on the scoring charts. His performance left a deep impression on many fans, and he was even seen as a potential mainstay for the future national team. After joining Shenhua, Zhang Wei seemed unable to fully maintain his previous fiery form and gradually became a substitute player. It may be that Shenhua's tactical system did…