Zhang Linpeng, the former idol of seaport fans, originating from Chongming Genbao soccer base, has become the main defender of the national team, representing the
national soccer team
Appeared in 92 games and contributed 5 goals.
Since 2006, Zhang Linpeng has been playing with Shanghai Dongya Football Club (now Shanghai Harbour Football Club) in the second and first divisions, and in 2011, he moved to Guangzhou Football Club.
In 11 seasons with Guangzhou, Zhang made 328 appearances and scored 18 goals as a defender, winning a number of titles with the team including the AFC Champions League, Chinese Super League, Football Association Cup and Chinese Super League Super Cup.
Harbour officials called the return of Zhang Linpeng a "homecoming" - for many years, Zhang Linpeng was always warmly welcomed by Harbour fans whenever Harbour played Guangzhou. In his heart, the Harbour fans are irreplaceable.
This time "home", Zhang Linpeng will also help the harbor to improve the strength of the defense.
Alongside Xu Xin, Zhang Linpeng also joins free of charge
.. Despite still being under contract with Guangzhou, given Guangzhou's financial woes and the need to resell higher-paid players, Zhang Linpeng reached an agreement to terminate his contract with Guangzhou and subsequently signed with Seaport. Meanwhile, Ndiaye also joined Harbour.
Harbor's double back combination upgraded
The arrivals of Zhang Linpeng and Xu Xin have greatly strengthened the Harbour's midfield and backfield. Last season, Coach Leko was not satisfied with the existing players at the back and repeatedly used Stanley Wong at the back. Xu Xin is in his prime, and despite not being a purely defensive player, he performed well in the Top 12, and is expected to partner with Muy as the first choice for the double back in the new season.
The addition of Zhang Linpeng to the squad also gives Harbour a significant boost in the center backfield. Under Leko's 3-4-3 system, Zhang Linpeng can play as right center back and right wing back. With the addition of Stanley Wong, who will no longer be required to play as a substitute for Xu Xin, Harbour's backline will be even stronger in the new season.
In addition, Seaport's forward line is also in need of reinforcement with the return of Arnautovic and the serious injury of Lopez. The lack of a center forward is the key reason why Seaport's double-pronged title bid failed to beat Taishan.
To this end, the seaport signed Ndiaye, a Senegalese senior center from the Turkish Super League's Goztabi team.
-The 1'90" Ndiaye is a perfect fit for Leko's tactical needs, contributing 12 goals and 3 assists in 33 Turkish league appearances this season.
Harbour have signed three players to strengthen their squad and are naturally aiming to surpass last season's targets for the new season.
In the 2021 season, Seaport entered the championship group with a 5-point disadvantage and lost the first match with Taishan, eventually missing out on the title. In the AFC Cup final, Taishan beat Seaport again thanks to Jadson's world-beating long-distance shot to win the double.
Although the seaport poached the title-winning mainstay Xu Xin, Taishan's strength was not damaged by the signing of international back Liao Lisheng. With Guo Tianyu staying in Portugal, Taishan also signed Portuguese super-high center forward Cressan to strengthen the forward line.
Seaport's championship loss last season was a direct result of the league's first round encounter against Taishan and a one-game tiebreaker in the AFC Cup. But from a league perspective, Seaport only won 8, drew 4, and lost 2 of their 14 matches in the first phase, a difference of 5 points from Taishan's 10 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, and it is this 5-point gap that puts Seaport at a disadvantage in the championship group before it even kicks off.
In the 2022 season, the league will play a full 34 rounds according to the CFA and the Football Association. Therefore, for Seaport, improving their ability to score consistently against mid-to-lower-tier teams will be the key to determining whether they can challenge Tarzan for the title in the 2022 season.
