"Hong Kong foot" shines, setting off a new trend of Chinese Super League recruitment

The reporter reported coldly The Hong Kong, China team announced the latest 37-man preliminary list, and as many as 10 of the 12 Hong Kong, China players who played in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese League this season were selected. This season, Hong Kong, China players have become one of the highlights of the Chinese Super League with their stable performances.

A total of 9 of the 16 teams in the Chinese Super League this season have used players from Hong Kong, China, among which Ru Zinan (Meizhou Hakka), Chen Jinyi (Shanghai Shenhua), Sun Mingqian (Tianjin Jinmen Tigers), Xu Hongjie (Yunnan Yukun), An Yongjia (Shenzhen Xinpeng City), and the unsuccessful veteran Liang Nuoheng (Zhejiang team) are the main players of their respective clubs, in addition to Zhou Yuande of Henan, Huang Haojun of Manatee and Li Xiaoheng who has not yet played in Taishan. In addition to Du Guoliang in Nanjing, Yu Zaiyan (Shijiazhuang Kung Fu) and Wu Yuxi (Chongqing Tonglianglong) are all new players, and the latter two were also selected for the preliminary list of the Hong Kong, China team.

Hong Kong players started from the Central League and gradually grew from a substitute in the second league to an absolute main force in the top league. On the one hand, it has improved the professional league experience of Hong Kong players, and on the other hand, it has met the needs of Chinese Super League clubs to introduce cost-effective domestic aid, which can be described as a win-win situation.

This season, there are a total of 12 Hong Kong, China players in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese League, Chen Jinyi, who is only 22 years old, can be called a leader, the number of goals involved in the Chinese Super League (5 goals, 1 goal and 4 assists), the number of goals involved exceeds that of Yunnan Yukun Xu Hongjie (4 goals, 3 goals and 1 assist), and Meizhou Hakka's Ru Zinan previously created a record for Hong Kong, China players to participate in goals in a single season in the Chinese Super League (5 goals, 2 goals and 3 assists, 2022 season), from the current situation, there are 18 rounds of the league this season, Chan Chun-yi and Xu Hongjie are highly likely to score or assist again, and they are likely to set a new record for the most goals scored by a Hong Kong player in a single season in the Chinese Super League this season.

Shenhua brought in left-back Chen Jinyi, who played in Spain's third division last summer, and he has become a powerful assist on the left side of Shenhua this season. After recovering from an ankle injury in early April, he has scored 1 goal and 3 assists in 3 consecutive Super League games. In 14 games this season (Chinese Super League + AFC Champions League Elite League), Chen Jinyi has 2 goals and 4 assists, and the league offensive data is 1 goal and 4 assists, and he has 8 points for Shenhua. At the beginning of the year, Shenhua won 4-2 Kobe Victory in the AFC Champions League elite league, and Chen Jinyi scored a goal; Shanghai Derby assists Yu Hanchao to score the equalizer; Scored a killer goal against the Zhejiang team.

Chen Jinyi's value has soared from 250,000 euros at the time of joining to 450,000 euros, almost doubling, which is the most valuable Hong Kong player this season.

Meizhou Hakka right-back Ru Zinan made 11 appearances in 12 rounds in the new season, playing a total of 986 minutes, ranking first among the 12 Hong Kong, China players in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese League. Ru Zinan has been the main right-back for 4 years at Meizhou Hakka, and has scored 2 goals this season, and he is expected to hit the 100-game milestone this season after the team has made 84 appearances in the Chinese Super League.

Jinmen Tigers left-back Sun Mingqian is the only Hong Kong, China player to play all the games in the Chinese Super League this season, starting nine games and coming off the bench three times. Xu Hongjie, the right-back of Yunnan Yukun, who was promoted, played all 9 times in this season, and handed over 3 goals and 1 assist, which is the most goals in the Chinese Super League this seasonPlayers from Hong Kong, China。

When Zhejiang signed Liang Nuoheng from Meizhou Hakka in 2021, although the official figure was not officially announced, Hong Kong media reported that it spent as much as 20 million yuan, which is a record for the transfer value of a Hong Kong player. In the past four seasons, Liang Nuoheng also proved his value through hard work, not only helping the Zhejiang team return to the AFC Champions League, but also winning a lot of applause in the league. Despite a slight drop in playing time this season, it is no surprise that he will also complete the milestone of 100 Super League appearances and is expected to break the record set by Ng Wai Chiu for the most appearances made by a Hong Kong player in Chinese mainland's top league.

The history of Hong Kong players competing in the Chinese mainland professional league began in 2002, when defender Wu Weichao joined Guangzhou Xiangxue in the Chinese Super League, and in 2005, Wu Weichao joined Shanghai Zhongbang in the Chinese Super League, becoming the first Hong Kong player to compete in the Chinese League and the Chinese Super League. As of this season, a total of 39 Hong Kong players have played in the Chinese mainland professional league, many have played in both the Chinese Super League and the Chinese First Division, 32 have signed with Chinese Super League teams and 24 have signed with Chinese Super League teams.

Among the 39 players from Hong Kong, China, Wu Weichao, a defender who joined Guangzhou Xiangxue in 2002, is the "appearance king" with the most appearances. He played in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese League for 13 seasons, and from 2002 to 2009 for eight consecutive seasons, he was the "only seed" of Hong Kong players in the mainland professional league. Wu Weichao has played for 6 teams, with a total of 96 appearances in the league in 6 seasons of the Chinese Super League and 130 appearances in 7 seasons in the Chinese Super League, and is the record holder for the most appearances by a Hong Kong player in the Chinese Super League and the Chinese League.

The number of mid-league appearances of Hong Kong players, Leung Nuoheng (85 times, Zhejiang team) and Ru Zinan (84 times, Meizhou Hakka) followed Wu Weichao, both of whom have played a lot of time this season, and are expected to narrow the "gap" with Wu Weichao this season, and even surpass Wu Weichao this season to reach the milestone of 100 appearances.

As for the record in the Chinese League, Wu Weichao has 130 appearances in the Chinese League, followed by Gao Fan (92) and Russell (90), who have left the mainland league. In view of the fact that in recent years, more Hong Kong, China players will give priority to joining Chinese Super League teams, I am afraid that it will be difficult for Hong Kong, China players to surpass Wu Weichao's Chinese League A appearance record for a period of time.Hong Kong players in the Chinese mainland professional league total appearances statistics, Wu Wei super 226 games, cliff-like lead. Zhejiang's Liang Nuoheng ranked second with 131 games (85 times in the Chinese Super League and 46 games in the Chinese League), followed by Gao Fan (101 games), Russell (96 games) and Fatus (87 games).

Leung Nok-hang has scored seven goals in the Chinese Super League, which is the record for the most goals scored by a Hong Kong, Chinese player in the Chinese Super League. Ru Zinan's participation in the Chinese Super League goals (10, 6 goals and 4 assists) is the record for the most goals scored by a Hong Kong player in the Chinese Super League. Shenhua's Chen Jinyi (2 goals, 4 assists) and Shenzhen Xinpengcheng's An Yongjia (4 goals, 2 assists) are both likely to catch up or break the record. An Yongjia holds the two records for the most goals scored (18) and the most goals involved (23) by a player from Hong Kong, China in the Chinese mainland minor league.

Among the 39 Hong Kong, China players, there have been notable transfer players. In 2010, Nie Lingfeng, a German midfielder of mixed Chinese and German descent, joined Shenzhen Red Diamonds of the Chinese Super League, joining as a player from Hong Kong, China, and completed the transfer procedures in October 2013 and played for the Hong Kong team for the first time. Bai He (2014, Shijiazhuang Yongchang, China League) and Liu Quankun (2015, Harbin Yi Teng, China League), who joined as Hong Kong players, both came to play in the Hong Kong Super League from the mainland, and after meeting the relevant requirements, they became players representing Hong Kong, China. Dai Weijun, who has signed with the U23 echelon of the Premier League Wolves, joined the Chinese Super League as a player from Hong Kong, China in the summer of 2020. It settled in Shenzhen in July 2021 and made its national football debut in early 2022. Starting in 2022, Dai Weijun will participate in the Chinese Super League as a local player.

From Wu Weichao joining Guangzhou Xiangxue, becoming the first Hong Kong player to join the Chinese mainland professional league, until the Football Association changed the registration policy in 2012, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan players registered as domestic helpers, and Hong Kong players began to enter the mainland professional league in batches. In 2012, the number of Hong Kong players playing in the mainland professional league reached 3, doubled to 7 in 2013, 9 in 2016, and 11 in 2024.

In 2012, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan players registered with domestic aid, attracting Hong Kong, China players to join, but the situation at that time was that they were basically playing in the Chinese Super League, except for Wu Weichao and Nie Lingfeng, it was difficult for Hong Kong, China players to gain a foothold in the Chinese Super League at that time. In 2018, the Football Association canceled the Asian aid policy, and players from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan further received widespread attention from the Chinese Super League teams. Although there are still Korean players joining, the quantity and quality have declined. With the rise of Hong Kong's football standards and the fact that some Hong Kong, China players have proven themselves in the Chinese League One, and compared to other Asian players, Hong Kong players have an advantage in terms of transfer fees and salaries.

After the end of the Jin Yuan era, the Chinese Super League and Chinese League A clubs have been careful in terms of recruitment, and Hong Kong, China players with high cost performance have been concerned by many Chinese Super League and Chinese League A clubs. Liang Nuoheng (Zhejiang team), An Yongjia (Shenzhen Xinpeng City), Xu Hongjie (Yunnan Yukun) performed well in the Chinese League and "upgraded" the Chinese Super League, Ru Zinan (Meizhou Hakka), Sun Mingqian (Tianjin Jinmen Tiger), Chen Jinyi (Shanghai Shenhua) directly joined the Chinese Super League team, and quickly proved themselves with strength and became the main force.

Although Hong Kong, China players have become the "favorites" of the Chinese Super League, not every player can stand firm. Previously, Li Zhihao (Beijing Guoan, 2013), Huo Binren (Shanghai Shenhua, 2014), Cove (Liaoning Hongyun, 2015), Ji Lanma (Tianjin Quanjian, 2017) and Ouyang Yaochong (Guizhou Hengfeng, 2017) did not get any appearances. This season, Li Xiaoheng, signed by Shandong Taishan, has not been given a chance to play in the Chinese Super League. Zhou Yuande (Henan), Huang Haojun (Qingdao Manatee) and Wu Yuxi (Chongqing Tonglianglong) and Du Guoliang (Nanjing City) are still trying to get playing time.