The familiar slogan “Forever Number One” has started to sound more like wishful thinking. In today’s Chinese Super League (CSL), a team’s foreign player lineup often determines whether they rise or fall—and Guangzhou Evergrande is no exception. While new regulations are set to impact every top-tier club, Shanghai Port still boasts a powerful foreign quartet of Hulk, Oscar, Elkeson, and Ahmedov. Meanwhile, Hebei China Fortune is revamping their roster, bringing in Javier Mascherano to replace Stéphane Mbia, and their foreign strength may soon surpass Evergrande’s.
Last season, Evergrande was knocked out of both the FA Cup and the AFC Champions League by Shanghai Port, revealing clear limitations in their current squad. Without significant upgrades, their hopes of defending the title in 2018 look shaky. Two of their foreign attackers—Ricardo Goulart and Jackson Martínez—have seen their impact wane considerably and are rumored to be eyeing exits. But replacing them could mean breaching the league’s hefty transfer tax rules. Even signing players through creative arrangements, like loan-first or early contract terminations, risks violating Evergrande’s public stance on compliance—putting them in an awkward bind. Some joke that they should thank Guoan for “saving” them by blocking the Aubameyang deal.
Beijing Guoan, on the other hand, secured Cedric Bakambu on a free transfer. According to Transfermarkt, Bakambu has now overtaken Oscar as the CSL’s most valuable player with a market worth of €25 million—compared to Oscar’s €23 million and Hulk’s €21 million. Guoan has even submitted a generous bid for Evergrande’s fullback Wang Shangyuan, who fits head coach Roger Schmidt’s high-tempo pressing system. Unpopular among Evergrande fans, Wang may finally prove the old saying true: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”
The failed Aubameyang transfer became a stalemate with no winners. Guoan’s statement about avoiding damaging national interests by not engaging in a bidding war with Evergrande revealed deeper philosophical differences between the two clubs. It also made Evergrande more cautious about splashing cash, especially under tighter financial rules. With ambitions to win both the league and the AFC Champions League, new head coach Fabio Cannavaro now faces intense pressure amid limited room for squad reinforcements.
While Evergrande secured three U23 signings—Tang Shi, Deng Hanwen, and Yang Liyu—before the window opened, they face a different reality in continental competition, where U23 quotas don’t apply and the standard remains the 3+1 foreigner rule. On the domestic front, the U23 policy narrows the gap between teams and diminishes the advantage once held by Evergrande’s core of national team players.
Beijing Guoan, reflecting on past seasons, now appears determined to make bold changes. Some Beijing-based media have even suggested learning from Evergrande’s model—emulating their scouting system, club management, and salary structure to build long-term strength.
This shift is already evident in Guoan’s winter transfer campaign. They’ve spent big—reportedly 50 million yuan on Hu Yanqiang, 60 million on Liu Huan, and over 100 million on Chi Zhongguo. Fans have taken notice. A club once known for big talk and small investments is now putting its money where its mouth is. The signings of Chi Zhongguo and Wei Shihao are seen as crucial in boosting the team’s attacking options.
Though Guoan has been tight-lipped about Bakambu’s official announcement—likely to avoid triggering the transfer tax—he’s already training with the squad in Portugal. This flurry of high-profile signings reflects the club leadership’s clear commitment to turning over a new leaf and winning back fan confidence.
Even during winter training, the off-field transfer battles continue. Guoan, with its aggressive strategy, looks ready to rewrite its narrative and mount a serious title challenge. Ironically, by appearing to lose out on Aubameyang, Guoan forced Evergrande into a defensive position, making them hesitant to trigger financial penalties.
Since Evergrande’s fairytale title win as a newly promoted side in 2011, Guoan has arguably been one of the most unwilling to accept their dominance. That season, Guoan even briefly led the league before falling short midseason and dismissing Evergrande’s success as merely “purchased glory.” From once challenging Evergrande head-on to falling behind in nearly every head-to-head encounter—just 3 wins in 18 meetings over seven years—Guoan has struggled to break the narrative.
Except for a clean record against Evergrande in 2014 and Schmidt’s notable 2–0 win last season, Guoan has been in Evergrande’s shadow. Despite that landmark victory, they still finished the 2017 season in a disappointing 9th place—matching their worst league finish ever—while Evergrande claimed a seventh consecutive title.
On paper, however, 2018 looks different. With stronger financial backing and a revamped squad, Beijing Guoan finally has the foundation and firepower to mount a serious title run.