At the end of the night on March 5, Guangdong Guangzhou Leopard Football Club, which rose to the second division, ushered in a major turnaround, with the contracts of 15 players and coach Han Lei ending, and they formally embarked on the road to leaving the team. Among the players on the list are Diao Jiahao, Wen Yongjun, Wu Chengru, Deng Yubiao, Zhou Yuchen, Zhang Xue, Huang Cong, Wang Peng, Wei Yuren, Huang Peizhao, Huang Wenzhuo, Cao Jinlong, Chen Junhan and Liu Chang.
Despite the changes in the squad, most of the players have found new homes. Wen Yongjun, for example, joined the Shenzhen youth team, Wu Chengru and Zhou Yuchen moved to Shaanxi United, Deng Yubiao moved to Suzhou Dongwu in the Central League, and Zhang Zuiliang chose to join Guangxi Hengchen, among others.
Along with the departure of players, the injection of new blood has brought new vitality to the team. It is reported that, under the premise of retaining core players such as Xiao Zhi and Liang Xueming, Guangdong Guangzhou Panthers ushered in a number of power players such as Ji Zhengyu, Wu Xingyu, Jin Qiang, Huang Jiaqiang and Lv Haidong for the new season, which will undoubtedly significantly improve the team's overall strength, and it is expected to become a favorite to win the title in the league.
Looking back at the 2023 Chinese Champions League, Guangdong Guangzhou Leopards (formerly known as Guangzhou Shadow Leopards), under the leadership of Coach Lai Bing, achieved an impressive fifth place finish. With the opening of the new season, they have successfully climbed up to the Second Division Professional League. It is worth mentioning that the CFA officially approved the name change of Guangzhou Shadow Leopards to Guangdong Guangzhou Leopards on March 4th.
