Despite Guangzhou's failure to be relegated, the winter transfer window has attracted a lot of attention. The movement of players from Guangzhou is no longer a one-man show in the domestic league, as two young talents have already set foot in Europe. Wu Shaocong joined Super Istanbul first, in a league that is second-tier in Europe but far superior to the Chinese Super League, followed by Tan Kaiyuan, whose contract covers five leagues and is expected to win over La Liga, despite needing to hone his skills in the Western B-League.
In retrospect, the transfer market has had an intricate mix of influences, especially for domestic players. A well-established fan market is often one of the key factors that European teams consider when signing players. After all, professional clubs need commercial value, and this part of the income is indispensable. Therefore, if domestic players want to stand firm in the professional league, they must show their strength, otherwise they can only be reduced to spectators, or even reduced to the supporting role by the water fountain. If it is just a trip abroad, then such an experience is meaningless. For professional players, what they need most is undoubtedly game time.
Wu Shaocong is facing such a challenge. He was confined to the bench for his first game, which gave many fans something to look forward to. However, it wasn't until the seventh game of the most recent league match that Istanbul won on the road by three points. Even though Wu Shao Cong remained on the bench, he still did not get a chance to play and witnessed his team's second loss. Up to now, Wu Shao Cong has been on the bench for five matches but has never been able to get a minute of playing time, which has left many fans perplexed. In addition to strength, position on the field is also a key factor.
Wu Shaocong faces stiff competition as a center back. The coaching staff is extremely demanding of the center back combination, after all, it is a position close to the last line of defense and not easy to adjust. Even with the scarcity of replacement opportunities, outside analysts believe that the 23-year-old star may have to wait until a teammate gets injured or the coach takes the initiative to rotate in order to get a chance to play.
Despite the challenges faced by Asian players in the Euroleague, success stories abound. The opponent of the just concluded match, Kayseri Sporting, had Asia's second Iranian international Karimi in their team, who scored the winning goal in the 39th minute to help his team gain three points and reassert his value and strength.
