In the former Beijing Guoan's midfield position, Zhang Xizhe had left a colorful stroke, however, in the top Asian tournaments, he did not seem to meet the expectations of everyone's heart. So, can we still find a suitable successor on this frontier? The answer seems to be in the distance, as Li Shuai, the Meizhou Hakka midfielder, was once our favorite.
Li Shuai, a name that may be slightly unfamiliar to fans. He used to be a member of Guizhou Renhe's ladder team. During the period when coach Gao Hongbo was at the helm of Guizhou Renhe, this youngster, who was less than 18 years old, attracted the attention of Gao Hongbo and was hailed as having unlimited potential. Due to his age, Li Shuai was not able to join the Chinese Super League, but under Gao Hongbo's careful guidance, he was able to train with a group of players. Portuguese super team Porto also favored him by loaning him to their U19 team. In half a season with Porto U19, Li Shuai made 14 appearances and 8 starts, contributing 3 goals and 2 assists.
Unfortunately, with the team's lineup adjustment, Li Shuai failed to remain in Porto. Gao Hongbo's departure even made him lose his direction for a while, and he could only spend his time in the reserve team. Guizhou Renhe also kept loaning him out to a China B team for training. It wasn't until he was 23 years old and his contract expired that Li Shuai was truly free.
Li Shuai then joined Heilongjiang Volcano Mingquan, starting out in the China B-League and advancing all the way to the China A-League. With his outstanding performance, he quickly became the team's No. 10, the core of the midfield, and served as the captain. His style of play is quite personalized, with a calm and collected manner of holding the ball and accurate passing, quite similar to that of Guangzhou Evergrande's Konka. Li Shuai became one of the few local midfielders in the China A-League at that time.
However, why has Li Shuai not been drafted to the Chinese Super League? The simple reason is that the Chinese Super League teams hardly leave the central midfield position to local players. As a result, Li Shuai has been playing in the Central League. It wasn't until 2022, when his contract with Heilongjiang expired, that he was able to join Meizhou Hakka, a team promoted from the CSL.
At the beginning of the league, Lee Shuai was given the opportunity to make his debut. He showed excellent ability to always create chances instead of taking his time to kick the ball. However, from September onwards, Li Shuai mysteriously disappeared from the team's lineup. It wasn't until he posted on social media that people learned that he had clashed with the club and was snowed under. Now, the 28-year-old Li Shuai has joined Yunnan Yukun Football Club in the Central B League.
Although Li Shuai was once a powerhouse player playing in the Chinese Super League, he is now committing himself to the Chinese B League. His character is elusive, but there is no denying that he is an excellent local midfielder with great talent. What do you think of Li Shuai's performance in China B? If he wants to return to the Chinese Super League, which team do you think is more suitable for him? Feel free to discuss in the comments section!
