takes a look at all the big Chinese news stories from the weekend so you don’t have to. This time around we’re a little transfer heavy, but expect a lot of that in the next few months.
–It’s official! The CFA has announced that Shanghai Shenxin will remain in the CSL and Beijing Baxy will remain in the China League in 2013.
–Brazilian media is reporting that striker Elkison has completed a physical and put pen to paper for Guangzhou Evergrande and is expectecd to be unveiled by the Cantonese champions later today.
–Don’t forget, for Evergrande (and Guizhou, Beijing, and Jiangsu fans), tomorrow is a big day as the ACL draw will take place. Expect full coverage here at . Personally, purely for awayday travel convenience and interest, I’d love to see Guoan draw Muangthong United, FC Seoul or Suwon, and Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
–Guangzhou R&F appears close to signing longtime Premiership role player Tal Ben Haim. Tal is currently out of contract, but is also being pursued by a number of clubs, including QPR.
–It’s an odditiy to hear about Chinese national teamers who aren’t joining Guangzhou Evergrande, but it appears that Yu Hanchao is going to remain in Liaoning province and sign with the Dalian side, while Wuhan’s buying spree (and pursuit of local talent) will continue as they poach Tianjin Teda’s Hao Junmin, a Wuhan local.
–On the subject of the united Dalian side, don’t execpt changes. Aerbin GM Xu Ming has announced that despite absorbing the Shide players, the side will still be called Dalian Aerbin and not as previously expected, Dalian FC or Dalian United. It is also unlikely that a change to the colors or logo will take place. Regarding the eight league titles that Shide (and Wanda before) won, Xu stated that the honor connected to the eight stars that Shide wore on their kits belonged to the city of Dalian and not any club, but no decision has been made how they will be incorporated inot Aerbin’s identity.
–Beijing Guoan GM Gao Chao has admitted that a Yanbian player has been training with the club, but would not offer a name. Word on the street is that it’s striker Xu Bo.
–With Nicholas Anelka expected to leave Shanghai Shenhua this offseason, the club is said to be in talks with Duvier Riascos, who was with the club in 2010 and 2011.
–China has determined the locations of its Asian Cup Qualifying matches in 2013. The Iraq match on March 22nd will be played in Changsha and the mid-November matches against Indonesia and Saudi Arabia will be played in Xi’an.
–A Shanghai U20 team has travelled to London and is currently training at Tottenham’s practice facilities. The team has already been in the UK for two weeks and is coached by former Shenhua player Cheng Yaodong.
–Finally, you know the end of the year is upon us when you start seeing all the “top xx of 2012”. Here’s a slideshow of the most important 10 moments in Chinese football this year. For the Chinese deficient, they are: Dalian Shide’s disbanding, the corruption trials, Evergrande’s double, Xu Genbao’s Shanghai East Asia earning promotion to the CSL,Drogba and Lippi coming to China (separate), China’s 0-8 defeat to Brazil, the failures of China’s youth sides, CSL matches cancelled due to the Japanese protests, and Shenhua winning the “Old Jia A” veteran’s league.
