Given that the Harbour's strategic focus in the Chinese Super League (CSL) winter transfer market has shifted to midfielders, according to inside sources, they have been in talks with a number of homegrown midfielders at the end of last season, with Guangzhou International's Yan Dinghao being one of them.
The 24-year-old Yan Dinghao, a leader among his peers in the back position, was interested in leaving the team at the beginning of the season, but Guangzhou saved the day and resolutely kept him.
At the end of the season, Guangzhou slipped into the Central League A at the bottom of the league, and the club's survival faced a serious challenge, and it became a foregone conclusion that Yan Dinghao would not be retained. As a result, Yan Dinghao has quickly become the meat and potatoes of the winter transfer market, with Shandong Taishan, Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Shenhua all interested in signing the popular midfielder in this window.
In comparison, Harbour Club has the upper hand in the competition. As an evergreen in the Chinese Super League, Harbour Club has not been exposed to any negative news of salary arrears so far, which is especially precious among many Chinese Super League teams.
If Harbour Club can offer a sincere enough deal, Yan Dinghao's transfer will be just around the corner. His arrival will undoubtedly improve the competitiveness of Harbour Club's midfield, making them the center of attention again in next season's Super League title race.
Yan Dinghao's joining may be a threat to Xu Xin, who has just played for the Harbour for one year, and his position may be challenged and even marginalized by the new head coach. Less than a year after leaving Shandong Taishan, Xu Xin has hit rock bottom, and perhaps at this moment he has begun to reflect on whether or not it was a wise decision to choose the seaport in the first place. ......
