The Chinese Super League is coming to an end, except for Shenzhen, which will be relegated, other teams are in full sprint, and the battle for the title and relegation is in full swing. At the end of the season, many teams have already started to focus on the next season, on the one hand, communicating with players whose contracts have expired to renew their intentions, and on the other hand, actively seeking to renew their personnel, especially in the shortcomings of the lineup to seek strengthening. Clubs are also planning ahead for the 2024 season.
However, foreign aiders play a pivotal role in CSL teams, and they often dominate the team's fighting force. However, along with the weakening of investors, it has become progressively more difficult to bring in high-level foreign aid. As a result, the importance of bringing in foreign aid has become more and more prominent, and the cost of mistakes has become higher and higher. Many teams choose to familiarize themselves with rather than blindly introduce foreign aid in order to avoid taking a detour. However, there is a limited number of high quality foreign aiders in the Chinese Super League, and after a few seasons of testing, many players are getting older and their competitive status has declined.
Against this backdrop, clubs will weigh the pros and cons. Although there are still two rounds left in the season, the first powerful foreign aiders to leave the team have already surfaced. Henan's central midfielder Adrian and No. 10 have decided to bid farewell to the team. The latter has confirmed that he will not renew his contract with Henan after it expires with only one last game left. In other words, Adrian will leave the team early, becoming the first player in the winter transfer window. In the 28th round of the tournament, Henan defeated Cangzhou Lions with a 6-goal advantage, locking the relegation qualification in advance. The team will focus on developing young players, and Adrian's departure provides room for new blood to step up.
Adrian has amassed a wealth of experience in the Chinese Super League, playing for five teams - Yatai, Chongqing, R&F, Shenhua and Henan - since 2018, essentially in a central role. So far, Adrian has made 135 appearances, contributing 29 goals and 34 assists in a bright performance.
Although the 37-year-old Adrian's competitive form has raised concerns, especially after contributing only 3 goals and 4 assists in 22 games this season, which is far from expectations and is one of the reasons why his contract was not renewed. However, Adrian is still a reliable option and there are still numerous clubs interested in him for at least the next 1-2 seasons.
