On January 3, 2024, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) officially unveiled the new rules for player registration and transfers for the new three-tier league season. With the Chinese Super League's winter transfer period kicking off on January 4, the cap on foreign aid quotas was relaxed to a maximum of five per game, although the limit on foreign aiders on the first-team roster remains at five, with one of them potentially facing the fate of a loan out once six foreign aiders are registered.
Official information from the Chinese Football Association (CFA) shows that the transfer window schedule for the 2023 season for the three tiers of leagues has been clarified. The winter transfer period for the Chinese Super League and the First Division starts on January 4 and ends on February 28, while the summer window is scheduled to open on June 17 and close on July 15th. The winter transfer period for the second division was extended to March 8, providing more time for teams to strengthen their lineups. Taian Tianfu's squad is set to undergo major changes during the winter break, and this phase of the squad restructuring will undoubtedly be a major point of interest.
In terms of reinforcements, there is no restriction on transfer player quotas this season, allowing teams to fully reshape their lineups. The quota rules for the registration of Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan players remain unchanged, with each team in the Chinese Super League and First Division being allowed to register one player. The naturalized player policy has also not been adjusted. For Taishan, Delgado is expected to play as a domestic player in the 2024 season, but his future is unclear. Although Fernando's performance as a domestic player was inconsistent last season, his strength is still recognized. If both Fernando and Delgado stay in the team, only one of them will be eligible to register as a domestic player, and Taishan will have to make a choice.
As for foreign aid, the number of registered foreign aiders per team for the new season remains at seven, covering two transfer window periods. Although each team can register a maximum of seven foreign aiders, if six are registered, only five can be selected to enter the first-team roster, and the sixth foreign aider will not be in the league, and may be rented out or retained to participate in the AFC Champions League. Compared to last season, the biggest change is that the new season allows five foreign aiders to start at the same time, while in the past only four. After the departure of Taishan's foreign aiders Fellaini and Moises, there are only three foreign aiders left, Jadson, Cressan and Pato, and there is still room for improvement. It is reported that Taishan team has basically locked two front field foreign aid to replace Moises and Fellaini. If the Taishan team plans to register a sixth foreign aid, the original three foreign aid may face a rental, because they will not be able to participate in the Chinese Super League.
In this case, if Taishan focuses on bringing in midfielders, striker Pato may be sent out on loan. Of course, the adjustment of Taishan's foreign aid lineup will also depend on the choice of the coaching team. In the new season, the rule of 5 foreign aiders in the league will remain unchanged, but the use of a single game will be changed, so it is worth paying attention to how Choi Kang-hee adjusts the team's lineup. According to the arrangement, Taishan team will have about 10 days of vacation, when the team assembly is completed, personnel adjustment program will be more clear.
