Shandong Taishan's striker Leonardo is on his way home at the moment, but his heart is intertwined with complex choices. Five days ago, he met with his Brazilian agent in Puerto de Guarulhos, Leonardo's next stop, will be his native China? The Korean media broke the news on the evening of the 24th, saying that South Korea's Ulsan Hyundai is actively pursuing the Brazilian star, and is expected to be included in the banner.
Although the season has not yet come to an end, Leonardo's whereabouts during his time with Hebei are already in the center of public opinion. He still has a four-year contract with Shandong Taishan, but Taishan have not included him in their plans for next season. Leonardo, a former Golden Boot winner in the J3 and J2 leagues, has failed to perform after joining Shandong Taishan. He scored only one goal in the league last February and was eventually replaced by Delgado during the break. Leonardo is well aware of the differences between Chinese and Korean soccer, and believes that "Japanese soccer is all about technique and tactics, while Chinese soccer is more about physical confrontation."
At the end of last year, Leonardo had already expressed his desire to return to the J-League. Although he was also recommended to Portuguese Premier League side Portimonense, he ultimately chose Japan. However, just as he was searching for a J-League club, former South Korean national team legend and ex-Zhejiang Greentown head coach Hong Myung-bo extended an olive branch, inviting him to join 2020 AFC Champions Ulsan Hyundai. According to Seoul Sports Daily, Ulsan Hyundai were willing to bring Leonardo in on a lease, and Leonardo himself decided to take on a new challenge.
If Leonardo succeeds in joining Ulsan Hyundai, he will have to thank Naioka Junior, the golden boot of the Chinese Super League, in addition to Hong Myung-bo's recommendation. It is understood that Ulsan Hyundai had considered buying back Naioka, but failed. Hong Myung-bo also sent professional scouts to Europe to look for foreign aid, and initially negotiated with the powerful Bundesliga striker, but failed to reach an agreement. They then looked at former Tianjin Tianhai player and Ukrainian international Moras, but negotiations stalled. In the end, Hong Mingfu initiated a fourth option by extending an invitation to Leonardo. It is worth noting that if Leonardo is successful in joining Ulsan Hyundai, they will be in the same group as Guangzhou in the AFC Champions League main round, where he will also have the chance to re-prove himself in front of the third-placed team in the Chinese Super League.
