As the Chinese Super League fades to a close, the tension of the title race has gradually dissipated. Shanghai Harbour Team is in the lead with a whopping 53 points, nine points adrift of second-placed Taishan, and only needs to maintain the status quo in the remaining six matches to lock up the title. Meanwhile, the competition for the second to sixth places is extremely fierce, with a negligible difference in points. Currently, Taishan is in second place with 44 points, Shanghai Shenhua is in third place with 42 points, and Beijing Guoan is in fourth place with 41 points. Zhejiang and Wuhan Sanzhen are in fifth and sixth place with 39 points.
This season, Beijing Guoan's trajectory has been a roller coaster. The opening four rounds of undefeated splendor was instantly ended by coach Stanley Menzo's imbecility and the team's lack of adaptability. It also exposed the blundering recruitment strategy of Guoan's top management, and the reliance on Zhang Yuning became a major pitfall, making the team's forward line weak and Zhang Yuning frequently injured at the beginning of the season. The new midfielders, Ademi and De Souza, performed like chicken ribs, unable to fit in with the team's style.
Midway through the season, State made a timely adjustment with a coaching change. The new coach, Ricardo Suarez, came on board with fluctuating results. At first, he continued Stanley's coaching style by continuing to use Ademi and De Souza, but the two veterans still failed to play the central role of the foreigners. The team's frontline problems gradually came to the fore in the face of crushing defeats at Meizhou Hakka and Taishan. However, Fabio Abreu, who was brought in during the summer window, energized the team by scoring six goals and assisting three times in nine games.
Recently, Suarez has made changes to Guoan's lineup, dropping Ademi and De Souza from the midfield line, who have failed to make the starting lineup for four consecutive games. On the one hand, they are not in good physical condition, and on the other hand, their role in the team is limited. The internal reinforcements of Li Ke, Ji Zhongguo and Zhang Xunzhe supported the midfield and led the team to five consecutive rounds of undefeated, with four wins and one draw.
As we all know, Ademi was the king of the bidding of Guoan at the beginning of 2023, with a transfer fee as high as RMB 8 million. However, he has not been able to find his place at Guoan and has become an awkward presence. Players are also in a very difficult situation at Guoan.
On September 5, Beijing time, Croatia's Dinamo announced on social media platforms that Ademi's transfer was complete, but specific details have yet to be announced. Ademi gave up his salary at Guoan and the transfer deal is expected to be officially announced on September 5th. Guoan will use the six rounds to look for a new foreigner, and for Ademi's decision to voluntarily give up his salary for the transfer, it can be seen as a way to cut his losses. After all, the player's role in the lineup is no longer significant, and leaving as early as possible will be beneficial to both sides. De Souza will leave the team at the end of the season and his contract will expire at the end of the year.
