As Hebei soccer fell into operational difficulties, Tao Qianglong moved to Dalian, but failed to shine as brightly in his new home as he did in Hebei, as if he had hit the freezing point in his professional development. Coinciding with the financial pressures faced by the Dalian team, with the intention of streamlining the lineup, high-paid players became the target of the purge. As a result, Tao Qianglong decisively left Dalian and moved to Wuhan. In Wuhan, he got some chances to show himself, but facing the competition from powerful foreigners such as Malcolm, Davidson and Stancho in the team, stable playing time became a luxury for him.
Tao Qianglong chose to follow China's U21 men's soccer team to Europe after much deliberation, with a view to regaining his best form. This decision proved to be a very accurate one, as he became an indispensable starter for the U21s, appearing in almost every match. Tao Qianglong helped his team win their first match against the competition with a spectacular world wave, which also announced his return as a king. Tao Qianglong's outburst in the national team proved that Wuhan Sanzhen made a wise choice in bringing him in. It is expected that Tao Qianglong will also show his value with goals when he returns to Wuhan Sanzhen in the future.
