In the summer transfer period of Wuhan Three Town, the signing action was spectacular. Not only did they sign Evergrande's former defender Park Chi-joo, who played in the Portuguese Super League, but they also brought in powerhouse local players such as Duan, He Xi and Jiang Zhipeng.
However, the three new signings did not fare well in Wuhan Tri-Town, where their playing time was limited. He Xi made seven appearances, six of them as a starter, while Jiang Zhipeng had eight appearances but only four as a starter. More frustratingly, former international Liu Yu of Shandong Luneng would have liked more opportunities.
According to statistics, Duan Liuyu was transferred from Shandong Luneng to Wuhan Sanzhen on July 15th as a loan. Since joining, Wuhan Sanzhen participated in a total of 14 matches, Duan Liuyu only got 8 appearances, of which only 3 starting appearances, becoming the summer window of the new players in the least number of starts. This shows that in the tactical system of Wuhan Sanzhen coach, Duan Liuyu seems to be a dispensable role.
Looking back at Duan Liuyu's experience over the past few years, one can't help but feel embarrassed. Since Hao Wei took over Shandong Luneng in October 2020, Duan Liuyu's fortunes have taken a sharp turn for the worse, turning him from Li's favorite into a marginal figure in the team. After Cui Kangxi took over the team this season, Duan Liuyu's situation still hasn't improved. Before the summer window, he only had two appearances in Shandong Luneng.
Duan Liuyu chose to join Wuhan Sanzhen on loan. He originally thought that he could be reused in the new owner, but did not realize that he could not escape the fate of marginal characters.
Duan Liuyu is a well-known and outstanding player in the Chinese Super League. With his excellent academic performance, it is entirely possible that he could have been admitted to a prestigious university if he had chosen to continue his studies. However, he chose his passion for soccer, and the Luneng Soccer School became the starting point of his dream. Duan Liuyu has a remarkable soccer talent and was transferred to the first team of Shandong Luneng at the age of 20. He became the main player of the team at the age of 21 and was named the best newcomer of this season's Chinese Super League. With his outstanding performance in the league, Duan Liuyu was soon selected for the U23 national team, becoming the center of the midfield and was regarded as the future star of the national soccer team.
Who would have thought that just four years later, 25-year-old Duan Liuyu would fall from his peak and become a chicken rib in the Chinese Super League, losing out on consistent appearances. If this situation continues, the talented Luneng star may be completely discarded and reduced to scrap. This is certainly regrettable.
