As we all know, the Chinese Super League suffered unprecedented difficulties last season, with many clubs in financial difficulties and the issue of wage arrears hanging over them for a long time.
These serious financial problems have directly affected the team's performance, a phenomenon epitomized by Hebei last season. Due to the stagnation of the club's reforms, Hebei's operating funds were nearly depleted.
Against this background, Hebei's main players have left the team, leaving only a group of veterans and young players. Such a lineup of Hebei team, its league results naturally not optimistic.
Hebei were relegated to the Central League 7 rounds ahead of schedule with the longest losing streak in the history of the Chinese Super League and a points deduction from the Football Association. They ended last season with a new Chinese Super League low of minus three points.
However, Hebei Huaxia Happiness, the predecessor of Hebei, was the richest club in the Chinese Super League seven years ago with billions of investment. At that time, local players such as Zhang Chengdong, Zhao Mingjian and Ren Hang became "Mr. Billion Dollar Man" by virtue of their high transfer fees.
However, the short-lived prosperity of gold-dollar soccer cannot be sustained. Once the financial chain is broken, the team's performance is like a roller coaster ride. What happened to Hebei in the past two years is the best example of this phenomenon.
Now, the dissolution of the Hebei team seems to be just a matter of time. However, the recent new policy of the Football Association has brought a turnaround for Hebei, and it is rumored that the restriction on relocation of domestic professional soccer clubs will be liberalized in the new season.
A Shenzhen soccer reporter revealed on social media that there are Chinese clubs planning to move to Shenzhen, and more than one, including a relegated Chinese Super League team, who have contacted the Shenzhen Sports Bureau.
As we all know, there were three relegated teams in the Chinese Super League last season, Wuhan Changjiang has announced the dissolution of the Guangzhou team to move to Shenzhen does not have practical significance. Therefore, this intention to move to Shenzhen in the Super League relegation team is likely to be Hebei team.
Compared to the Shenzhen team, the Hebei team has stronger overall local players and is not burdened with huge debts. Therefore, it seems more feasible for Hebei to move to Shenzhen and rejoin the China First Division than to save the Shenzhen team.
Of course, how the Shenzhen Sports Bureau ultimately chooses to do so will determine whether it retains a Chinese Super League team for Shenzhen or brings in a new team to support the facade.
