Chengdu Rongcheng have seen a lot of foreign aid turnover in recent years, with Jonathan and Saldaña in the Chinese Super League era, and Jurjić, Quintana and Leonardo on the Central League stage. Jurjić's failure is largely attributed to a lack of experience in original signings; Quintana and Leonardo have each made their mark and are good value for money; Jonathan's lackluster performance has a special reason behind it; and Saldaña's potential is not to be underestimated even though he's on loan.
So what is the status of these foreign aiders?
First foreign aid in team history: Djurdjic
The first foreigner in Chengdu Rongcheng's history, Djurdjic is a former Serbian international who played briefly in the Bundesliga. Before joining Chengdu, he scored goals in two consecutive seasons in the Swedish Super League, and the statistics showed that he deserved to be in the Central League. However, his performances were not as good as they could have been.
In the 2020 season, Djurdjic contributed only two goals for Chengdu Rongcheng, which did not show the strength of foreign aiders, and in the 2021 season, he was loaned to Zhejiang in the Central League, where he had very few chances to play and did not receive any income. Perhaps the reason for his disappointment in China is that he has not been able to adapt to the local environment. His experience in the Chinese league has not been successful for him, and his presence is almost zero.
Now, Djurdjic's return to the Swedish Superliga has been mediocre, and the 36-year-old may be on the verge of saying goodbye to the pitch.
Team MVP during the Central League: Quintana
Quintana has had a less illustrious career than Djurdjic, playing in Europe's lower leagues for a long time, but during his time in Chengdu Rongcheng's Central League, he became the centerpiece of the midfield. He is small in stature, but has the skill of a Spanish player. As the team's central midfielder, he excelled.
Despite playing for Chengdu Rongcheng for only one season, Quintana impressed the fans and was named MVP of the season. however, after Xu Zhengyuan took over, probably due to tactical adjustments or contractual reasons, he left with regrets after signing only a one-year contract. After leaving Chengdu, Quintana spent half a year playing for his former owner Jagiellon in the Polish Super League, becoming a free agent once again and perhaps retiring from the game.
The Black Boy Who Wouldn't Leave: Leonardo
Leonardo moved to Chengdu from Xinjiang Tianshan Snow Leopard in the 2020 season and had a mediocre first season, scoring only 1. In the 2021 season, under the coaching of Xu Zhengyuan, Leonardo exploded into the scene, with eye-popping goals and assists, and became a key player in Chengdu Rongcheng's Super League run, and a fan favorite.
After a successful Super League run, Leonardo joined Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic on a visa-free basis, but suffered unemployment when his new owners disbanded. He then joined Nagoya Whale in the J-League, but made few appearances and his goal account remained empty.
Last season, Chengdu Rongcheng in the front line of the lack of power, many fans of Leonardo's departure doubly regret, I do not know if he still have the opportunity to return to his hometown.
