“Distinctive Independence” Amidst Foreign Player Dependence: Zhejiang Team Sets an Example for the Chinese Super League

Written by Han Bing This season, Zhejiang’s use of foreign players in the Chinese Super League has been the most unexpected. In the first 25 rounds, they only fielded five foreign starters twice, earning one draw and one loss, with no victories. Matches with four or more foreign starters combined were just six. On the other hand, they started 14 matches with only three foreign players. Although their use of four foreign players was limited, Zhejiang’s results have been respectable. While the season is not yet over, they have effectively secured a spot in the upper half. The combination of elite foreign talent and local young players has made Zhejiang stand out uniquely in the league.

Zhejiang started the season’s first round with five foreign players in the starting lineup but soon faced a more severe “foreign player shortage” than other CSL teams. In April, forward Bupenza tragically passed away, and in the home game against Meizhou Hakka, Zhejiang had no choice but to field an all-domestic starting eleven. Last season’s main striker, Evra, was in poor form and was almost completely sidelined. It wasn’t until June 30, when new signing Mitrits joined forces with Frank and Owusu to form a forward trident, with Lucas anchoring the defense, that the team started four foreign players for the first time in nearly four months.

For most of this season, Zhejiang has mostly started with two or three foreign players. Before Mitrits joined in June, Frank and Lucas served as key figures in attack and defense respectively. Rookie Wang Yudong took charge of offense, while Liu Haofan and Wang Shiqin became mainstays in defense. Veteran midfielders Li Tixiang and Cheng Jin also held the midfield steady. Tao Qianglong, Qian Jieji, Sun Guowen, and Liang Nuoheng contributed during this period, helping the team smoothly navigate the foreign player shortage before the secondary transfer window.

During the secondary transfer window, Zhejiang acquired Mitrits, a Romanian who integrated seamlessly and immediately made an impact, alongside the improving Yago. However, coach Caneda still preferred to start with only three foreign players whenever possible. Although the five-foreign-player roster was complete, Owusu mostly came on as a substitute in the second half to challenge opposing defenses. Yago, sidelined for three months at Ulsan Hyundai, gradually regained form starting from the bench. Given the stable performances of domestic players, Caneda was reluctant to make too many changes to the already established starting lineup.

Yago only made his first start in early August against Beijing Guoan, coinciding with Frank moving back to the bench. Meanwhile, young defender Zhang Aihui was promoted as a new defensive mainstay, even pushing Wang Shiqin to the substitutes. The rise of Mitrits and Yago relegated Frank and Owusu to competing for spots on the bench, a stark contrast to other teams that try to start all their foreign players. After Mitrits joined in late June, Zhejiang started with four foreign players only once in 12 matches.

Although Zhejiang mostly sticks to starting three foreign players, initially as a forced tactical adjustment, the gradual development of young players has actually shaped a distinctive style. For a Chinese Super League often overly reliant on foreign players, Zhejiang offers a dual-focus model that balances foreign stars with domestic talent.