At the start of 2023, Chinese Super League powerhouse Beijing Guoan embarked on a farewell tour. With the club overhauling its first-team squad, the team experienced a wave of departures from several players last month. A special program called Farewell Season was planned by Beijing Sports Channel, which not only reviewed the careers of six recently departed local players - Yu Yang, Jin Pengxiang, Jin Taiyan, Liu Huan, Liu Guobo, and naturalized player Hou Yongyong - but also paid tribute to them.
Observing this six-man list, it is not difficult to see that Guoan's top priority in the new season is the reconstruction of the back line. Yu Yang, Jin Pengxiang, Jin Taiyan, Liu Huan, these four defenders can be said to be the solid cornerstone of Guoan's back line. The age of these four veterans is also quite distinctive, Yu Yang, Jin Taiyan, Liu Huan were born in 1989, is about to enter the threshold of 34 years old. Jin Pengxiang is a year younger but also celebrated his 33rd birthday in January.
In contrast, Liu Guobo's departure came as a surprise to many Beijing fans. The 1999-born youngster, who has yet to turn 24, became a rising star in the eyes of fans when he was transferred from Shanghai to Guoan in the 2018 season. Unfortunately, since joining Guoan, Liu Guobo has never been able to prove himself. In five seasons at Guoan, he only played 22 Chinese Super League games on behalf of the team, and last season, although he made nine appearances, his performance was mediocre, with only one assist in the account.
Liu Guobo, a player who shone at the Shanghai National Games, has struggled to find his place back in Beijing. He is 1.9 meters tall, but not heavy enough to play as a center. He has excellent ball control skills, but due to the lack of speed and defensive ability, it is difficult to become the main winger of Guoan.
As a result, Liu Guobo has become one of the first players to leave the team after his contract with Guoan expired this year. His destination has also become the focus of fans' attention, and perhaps a return to Shanghai SIPG would be a wise choice for him. Compared to Liu Guobo, Yu Yang's departure has made Beijing fans feel sorry for him. Although he is not a native of Beijing, Yu Yang has been playing for Guoan since he was a child, and is one of the most valuable talents that Guoan's youth training system has produced.
Although Yu Yang briefly left the team for two seasons with Guangzhou R&F in 2015-16, his heart always belonged to Beijing and Guoan. he returned to Guoan for the 2017 season, where he remained until the end of last season. However, Yu Yang's departure was signaled as early as last year. He failed to renew his contract with Guoan and ended up extending his contract with the club for only one year. Last season, he has faded out of the main lineup of Guoan, the number of appearances is even less than the known as "big leakage" Park Yang.
Therefore, Yu Yang's departure seems inevitable after his contract with Guoan expired. For now, it looks like he may be returning to his roots and joining Tianjin Jinmen Tigers. Although the winter transfer window for this year's Chinese Super League has yet to officially open, Guoan has already seen 8 players leave the club, including the 6 local players mentioned above, as well as Mehmetsevich and Dabrow. This phenomenon once again shows that Guoan's rebuilding work for the new season is already in full swing.
