In Guangzhou, many Guangzhou players have regarded the city as their second home, especially those veterans who have weathered the storm and won awards, and whose children are also educated in Guangzhou. However, faced with the plight of salary cuts, they have to re-plan for the future. Taking the players who purchased properties in Guangzhou last year as an example, even with an annual salary of up to 600,000 RMB, it is still difficult to meet the monthly mortgage payment. As a result, almost all the players in the first team may face transfers in the new season.
Since September last year, the Guangzhou team has been defaulting on players' salaries, accumulating tens of millions of dollars in arrears. Some of the players have terminated their contracts with the Guangzhou team in order to seek transfers, giving up part of their salaries. However, the Guangzhou team still has warmth in caring for its veteran players. At the end of the season, the club received a dividend from the Chinese Super League and allocated a portion of it to pay back players' salaries. Although the total amount of dividends is limited, it reflects the club's greatest sincerity in the difficult situation. In this regard, the veteran players also expressed their understanding that the club's unpaid salary was not malicious, but a helpless move.
Many players said that the friendship given by the Guangzhou team will be remembered forever. No matter where they go in the future, they will miss the good times in Guangzhou. Some veteran players even said that the Guangzhou team was a key stop in their career and helped them realize many soccer dreams. If there is an opportunity in the future, they would like to give back to the club. It is reported that some players' families still choose to settle down in Guangzhou after the transfer.
