Shandong Taishan striker Leonardo has returned to his native Brazil, but is caught in a dilemma. Five days ago, he met with his Brazilian agent in Puerto de Guarulhos. Will Leonardo's next stop be in China?On the evening of the 24th, Japanese and Korean media reported that South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai are actively pursuing him and are expected to take him under their wing.
The season has not yet come to an end and Leonardo has been frequently asked about his future during his time with Hebei. He still has a four-year contract with Shandong Taishan, but Taishan has not included him in their plans for next season. Although Leonardo is a top-class striker, his adaptability is questionable. He won the Golden Boot in the J3 and J2 leagues, scoring 11 goals in 28 appearances in the J1 league. However, after joining Shandong Taishan in February last year, he scored only one goal in eight games in the league and was eventually replaced by Delgado. Leonardo is well aware of the differences between Chinese and Japanese soccer, pointing out that "Japanese soccer pays more attention to technology and tactics, while Chinese soccer relies more on physical contact, and most goals are scored through passing and parrying."
As a result, Leonardo expressed his desire to return to the J-League late last year. Although he had been recommended to Portuguese Premier League Portimão, this was later denied. It is understood that his first choice remains Japan. Just as he was looking for a J-League team, former South Korean national team legend and former Zhejiang Greentown head coach Hong Myung-bo, who had played in the J-League for many years, extended an olive branch to him, inviting him to join 2020 AFC Champions League winners Ulsan Hyundai. This seems to be quite attractive to him. Seoul Sports Daily reported on the 25th that Ulsan Hyundai are willing to bring Leonardo in on a lease, and that the player himself is interested in joining and has decided to take on a new challenge. If all goes well, an official announcement will be made by both teams soon.
If Leonardo succeeds in joining Ulsan, he will also have to thank the Chinese Super League's new Golden Boot, Naioka Junior. Ulsan Hyundai were reported to have considered buying him back, and Hong Myung-bo sent professional scouts to Europe to look for a foreigner. After initially unsuccessful talks with the Bundesliga power forward, he then looked at former Tianjin Tianhai player and Ukrainian international Moras. The latter was also eager to join the K-League giants, but Ulsan encountered difficulties in their negotiations with Shakhtar Donetsk Miners. In the end, Hong Myung-bo initiated a fourth option by extending an invitation to Leonardo. It is worth mentioning that if Leonardo joins Ulsan Hyundai, he will be placed in Group I with Guangzhou in the AFC Champions League main round. At that time, he will also have the chance to reinvent himself in front of the third place in the Chinese Super League.
