Beijing Guoan chasing full-backs, Andre Lima to exit

On Friday, Beijing Guoan held a press event in the capital to discuss the opening half of the 2013 season following the side’s recent exit from the Asian Champions League.

Predictably, one of the main focuses of the media attention was just how the club would seek to improve the side in the upcoming summer transfer window—with the club stressing that the aim for the season was to continue the renovation of what had been an ageing first team.

Among the topics discussed was also the future of the club’s foreign players, with Sina leading several media outlets in reporting that the club will likely look to replace Brazilian striker Andre Lima this summer.

Having only arrived in January, the former Grêmio striker is seen as the most expendable of the club’s foreign player quota and has struggled for regular game-time in the presence of fellow forwards Frederic Kanoute and Joffre Guerron.

Club chairman Luo Ning (pictured) accepted responsibility for the club’s several poor foreign investments over the past 18 months, insisting that the club had “paid a price” for some poor choices. He did, though, also insist that finances would not be an issue if they can identify a player suitable for the Chinese Super League.

As far as domestic signings are concerned, both Luo Ning and manager Aleksander Stanojevic chose to indicate the full-back positions as an area for potential improvement.

While current occupants Zhou Ting and Zhang Xinxin may not be replaced in the first-team, the club have suffered with a lack of depth at full-back thus far this year.

Once more, the Luo Ning stressed that they are already on the hunt for suitable additions from within the CSL, although he did take the opportunity to criticise the current price levels of domestic Chinese talent.