Wuhan Three Towns’ shareholding reform has been finalized! The new head coach will debut in the first winter training session, and Deng Zhuoxiang will remain with the team in a new role.

Reporter Lu Mi reporting. Following the challenging 2025 season marked by relegation struggles and organizational changes, Wuhan Three Towns is moving forward into 2026 with a renewed spirit. The shareholding reform is advancing steadily, and stable operations have strengthened the club’s foundation, providing solid backing for rebuilding. On the coaching side, the new head coach will appear at the first winter training session, and Deng Zhuoxiang will stay with the club in a new capacity; regarding players, mainstays like Deng Hanwen and Tudorie have departed, while youth talent from the U20 National Games champion team and other academy successes are being integrated. The team’s transition between veterans and newcomers is highly anticipated. From surviving relegation to pragmatic reconstruction, as winter training approaches, Three Towns is drafting a comprehensive development blueprint upgrading its lineup, finances, and management.

Three Towns’ survival was hard-fought, marking the most turbulent season since their promotion. Assistant coach Deng Zhuoxiang took charge when the team was deep in the relegation zone, acting as a fire-fighting coach to guide the squad out of danger and secure crucial points. After the season ended, the club faced the practical issue of selecting a new head coach.

In a previous interview with this paper, Deng Zhuoxiang mentioned that he would discuss his future “role” with the club after the season. Currently, the team is on break, and Deng will continue to serve Three Towns either as an assistant coach or in a club management position.

Regarding the coaching appointment, the club quickly initiated the process after the season’s conclusion. Since their promotion, Three Towns has consistently employed foreign coaches. It is understood that the club is again looking for a foreign coach and has contacted several European coaches who have experience managing Chinese Super League teams. Although there is a leading candidate, the club remains cautious and has not made any public announcements due to potential uncertainties.

The Three Towns first team will return from holiday on January 4th next year, and winter training will officially begin in Kunming on the 5th. Unless unforeseen circumstances arise, the new coaching staff will be introduced on the very first day of training.

With the 2026 winter training schedule released, Three Towns is entering a critical phase of squad restructuring. The departures of Deng Hanwen and adjustments to the foreign player roster, combined with the rise of youth academy talent, offer ample room for speculation about the team’s prospects in 2026.

Optimizing the foreign player lineup is the top priority. Wearing the number 10 jersey, Darlan and Tudorie both have contracts expiring. Darlan appeared 30 times in the 2025 season but contributed only 1 goal and 1 assist, with a clear weakness in physical duels; Tudorie played 28 league matches, scoring 7 goals and providing 6 assists, decent stats, but he was the first to announce on social media that he would not renew his contract with Three Towns. Shaoer, who still has a contract, is a candidate to stay, with his consistent performance recognized by the club. However, the final roster must be confirmed by the new coach, with the club leaning towards retaining some immediate-impact players.

Like Tudorie, Deng Hanwen has also announced he will not renew his contract upon expiration. His departure has caused some misunderstanding among fans, considering Deng’s diligent attitude and contributions over four seasons—110 appearances, 7 goals, and 12 assists. In 2025, he was the team’s “anchor” during the relegation fight. His exit raises concerns about a possible increase in defensive vulnerabilities.

In fact, earlier this year, Three Towns showed strong intent to renew Deng Hanwen’s contract, but terms were not fully agreed upon at the time. After the season, other clubs, including Yukun and Zhejiang, extended offers to Deng, giving him more options. After weighing various factors, Deng chose to join Yukun.

Additionally, Park Ji-soo’s contract has expired, and considering his age, the club will not renew his deal. This means the defense line will undergo a reorganization.

A key consideration for Three Towns’ personnel planning next season is the youth academy’s achievements. In 2025, Hubei’s team won the U20 men’s championship at the 15th National Games, and the U19 squad finished runners-up in the China Youth League. These successes provide confidence for the club’s personnel turnover and structural rebuilding. Currently, the club’s U19 squad and B team have already started winter training, with the coaching staff conducting detailed player evaluations based on quantitative metrics. In the upcoming first phase of winter training in Kunming, the youth teams will train alongside the first team to promote young players and fill gaps, fostering a healthy cycle between veterans and newcomers.

From surviving relegation to rebuilding, Three Towns needs to adopt a more pragmatic approach in assembling its squad. Foreign players must be carefully selected, and the combination of steadfast domestic veterans and emerging talents will jointly support the new season’s team framework.

After a long process, the club’s shareholding reform has achieved significant milestones. New investors, together with provincial and municipal authorities, are collaborating through innovative models to seek development pathways and reinforce the club’s operational foundation. Next season, the team aims to compete in the Chinese Super League with greater stability.

This shareholding reform focuses on steady progress, with government backing and multiple sources of funding pooling approximately 150 million RMB. This provides solid support for the club’s winter training preparation, daily operations, squad optimization, and youth development. However, given the ongoing financial demands for youth training, first-team co-development, and the B team’s participation in China League Two, challenges remain substantial. The club’s existing management will remain unchanged, with operations managed by a dedicated task force. Additionally, there will be no fundamental changes in shareholding, enabling efficient resource integration.

In the 2025 season, Three Towns’ funding was basically secured, whether compared to 2024, the latter half of 2023, or directly against relegation rivals, the overall survival environment was relatively good. Yet, the team still struggled to avoid relegation, even falling into the drop zone at times and finishing only 11th. The main issues were the head coach’s unsuitable style, rushed squad cohesion, and tactical inconsistencies—lessons that must be learned.

For the new season, the club’s goal is to build on stability and pursue breakthroughs, abandoning reckless squad overhauls in favor of optimizing team structure. In the transfer market, priority will be given to practical players, while tactical refinement will be shaped through three phases of high-quality preparation. Moreover, the team must establish clear decision-making processes to address past management shortcomings.

The completion of the shareholding reform undoubtedly injects new vitality into Three Towns. Having weathered financial crises and instability, the club has finally returned to a stable footing. With funding secured and preparations progressing smoothly, this team that once created a Chinese Super League championship legend is making a pragmatic comeback. In the new season, the steadily advancing Three Towns are determined to bring more joy to the fans in Jiangcheng.