Another foreign player joins on loan, Shanghai Port’s recruitment strategy reflects changes in the Chinese Super League

Reported by Cheng Shan As the CSL winter transfer window nears its close, Ghanaian winger Ampem has joined Shanghai Port on a last-minute loan deal. With the 27-year-old attacker now on board, Shanghai Port’s foreign player lineup is finalized, and the club’s completed recruitment puzzle highlights the broader transformation across the league this season — CSL teams have fully entered a new era of pragmatic and adaptive foreign player configurations.

Born in 1998, Ampem started his career at the West African Football Academy in Ghana, following a low-key and practical career path. In 2018, he moved to the Croatian league, signing with HNK Šibenik, where he scored 19 goals and provided 7 assists, helping the team win the Croatian second division title and earning himself a chance to play at a higher level. In 2021, he transferred to HNK Rijeka in the Croatian top flight, delivering impressive stats over two seasons with 10 goals and 13 assists, including two crucial goals in the UEFA Europa Conference League playoffs, showcasing his ability to perform in continental competitions.

In 2023, Ampem moved to Turkey, joining Eyüpspor and contributing to the club’s promotion from the TFF First League to the Süper Lig. Over three seasons with the team, he made 87 appearances across all competitions, scoring 18 goals and assisting 9 times, with a stable market value of 1.5 million euros according to Transfermarkt. Technically, Ampem is a classic pacey winger standing 1.69 meters tall, combining excellent dribbling and explosive speed. He can both exploit defenses on the flank to take shots and create scoring chances for teammates centrally. His balanced offensive and defensive skills were key factors in Shanghai Port’s decision to recruit him.

Ampem’s arrival at Shanghai Port comes at a crucial moment. Last season, the team’s attacking core Leonardo suffered a knee injury, which was confirmed during winter training to require long-term recovery, leaving a gap in the team’s wing attack. Ampem’s presence not only fills the firepower void left by Leonardo’s absence but also pairs with fellow winger Gabriel to potentially form a “double-speed” flank duo, enriching the team’s fast counterattack tactics. This will inject new energy into Muscat’s high-press system and ease the rotation pressure on the frontline before Wu Lei’s return.

Rumors about Ampem joining the CSL surfaced early February, but Shanghai Port’s contact with the Ghanaian winger actually began well before these reports. His compatible playing style and reasonable price had already put him on the club’s scouting radar for some time.

The transfer process accelerated due to Leonardo’s unexpected injury. During winter training in Doha, Qatar, Leonardo injured his knee and missed two warm-up matches. Medical examination confirmed he needed surgery and would be sidelined for 10 to 12 weeks, creating a shortage in Shanghai Port’s attacking lineup. Meanwhile, the 2026 CSL foreign player policy adjustment allowed the club to activate a sixth foreign player slot, providing regulatory support for the signing. The club swiftly advanced negotiations and finalized the loan deal on the February 27 transfer deadline, avoiding the risks of a long-term contract while quickly filling the frontline gap.

Ampem’s role balances cost and competitiveness, exemplifying CSL clubs’ shift away from superstar extravagance toward rational operations. In fact, previous seasons saw loan signings like Chitadini, Pop, and Gabriel’s initial arrival, plus this season’s newcomer Jean Claude, all brought in via loans. From Shanghai Port’s recruitment choices and squad adjustments, it’s clear the CSL has left behind the era of excessive spending and internal competition, embracing pragmatic, cost-effective strategies. Practical foreign players like Ampem have replaced former high-priced stars as the preferred signings for clubs.

With Ampem’s addition, Shanghai Port’s registered foreign players for the new season total six: forwards Leonardo, Gabriel, and Ampem; midfielders Vital, Melendo, and Jean Claude. This lineup reflects the close connection to the foreign player policy changes. Comparing the 2025 and 2026 policies, the core difference lies in the adjustment of registration quotas per transfer window, directly influencing Shanghai Port’s foreign player selection strategy.

In 2025, the CSL implemented a “6555” foreign player policy: a maximum of 6 foreign players registered annually, but only 5 could be registered per transfer window, with 5 eligible to be named and fielded per match. This limited clubs’ ability to maintain foreign player reserves, even for injury backups. In 2026, the policy shifted to “6655,” allowing 6 registrations per transfer window while keeping the annual cap at 6, and maintaining the 5-player matchday registration and appearance limit. Though subtle, this change offers clubs more flexibility to handle injuries and multiple competitions, reflecting the Chinese Football Association’s efforts to guide rational league development and mitigate risks of unexpected player shortages.

Under the new policy, Shanghai Port, holding 6 registered foreign players, must make the tough decision to select only 5 for match registration, with midfielder Melendo likely to miss out on league registration.

Ampem’s last-minute signing undoubtedly strengthens Shanghai Port’s confidence in defending their title, but objectively, the team still faces many uncertainties this season, and the outlook is cautious. The most immediate challenge is the early-season points deduction. According to penalties announced by the Chinese Football Association, Shanghai Port has been docked 5 points due to violations, starting the new season at -5 points. Although rivals like Beijing Guoan and Shandong Taishan also face point deductions, beginning with a negative score not only affects team morale but also demands a high scoring pace early in the season to recover.

Injuries pose another major concern for Shanghai Port. Besides Leonardo’s long-term absence, key defender Jiang Guangtai is sidelined with a chronic injury and currently unavailable for matches. The club’s attempt to strengthen the defense by signing Chengdu Rongcheng’s international center-back Han Pengfei failed due to the other club’s refusal to sell, leaving the defensive depth under strain. Furthermore, although Wu Lei is in recovery, his old knee meniscus injury remains at risk of relapse. Additionally, new signing Jean Claude, who was deployed as a center-back in the AFC Champions League Elite tournament, sustained an injury but continued playing. Overall, the team’s injury situation is far from ideal.

For Shanghai Port, the dual challenges of the new season represent both obstacles and opportunities. Only by focusing on details and progressing steadily can they achieve their goal of defending the championship amid adversity.