With the annual access battle kicking off again at the end of the year, many of the Chinese Super League's top teams are busy resolving their immediate woes. The original deadline of December 5 has been extended to December 15, providing a sufficient buffer for the teams to deal with the problem of salary and debt arrears. Even if only one team survives, it will be a victory if they can save themselves. However, if the barrier to entry is too high, half of the teams will face bankruptcy. Beijing Guoan, in the midst of its struggles, does not see access as a problem, and everything seems to be under control. The players are united and the club is actively seeking solutions.
Looking back at the past two seasons, Guoan has never given up on the introduction of foreign aid despite financial constraints. From Adebenelo to De Souza to Ademi, Guoan paid a high price for these foreigners. The core reason why Guoan suffered a transfer ban is precisely the introduction of Fernando in 2019. Due to Biela's injury, Guoan loaned Fernando for the 2019 season and bought him out in the 2020 winter window for €9.6 million.
Fernando left the club in the middle of the 2021 season, unshackling his high salary despite his excellent performance with the team. However, a sudden dispute this year has left Guiao facing a transfer ban once again. Fortunately, the club is about to solve this difficulty. In fact, the foreign aid issue is just the tip of the iceberg of Guoan's problems. Last season, if not for the poor condition of foreign aid, Guoan has every possibility to be among the top four.
After the ban is lifted, Guoan will embark on a series of signings and contract extensions to strengthen the squad. Two popular players whose contracts expired in the Chinese Super League this year are Jiang Shenglong of Shanghai Shenhua and Zhang Yuning. Although Zhang Yuning has not played in half a season, he is still the main striker of the national team and his strength should not be underestimated. After the league game, Zhang Yu Ning did not stay idle, but chose to do recovery training in order to reach the best condition.
Zhang Yuning will start at the Asian Cup in January. As the top center forward in the country, he is leading the way in every aspect. Despite his expiring contract, he is still expected to extend his contract with Guoan. Next year, the striker combination of Abreu and Zhang Yuning will produce new sparks. Players such as Yang Liyu and Gao Tianyi will also complete their contract extensions. Guoan is actively reaching out to possible internal reinforcements to join the club while gaining access, aiming to make a turnaround in the winter window. Lin Liangming has attracted the attention of at least five teams.
For the new season, Guoan's plans are clear, with head coach Suarez staying with the team, and foreign aiders Ngadeu, Kang Xiangyu and Fabio Abreu will continue to play, while Adebenelo and Daburo may leave. Domestic aid options will be wider. Despite the struggles faced by many Chinese Super League teams, Guoan will invest less and return to rationality. Under general manager Li Ming, the key to whether Guoan can achieve a reversal of its reputation will be the ability to operate in the winter window.
