On the evening of July 15, Beijing time, the defending champion of the Chinese Super League, Shanghai Port Official, announced that 30-year-old Brazil striker Willian Pope officially joined on loan, and he also became the sixth foreign aid of the port this season.

Harbour Club revealed in the announcement that William Pope will represent the club in the AFC Champions League Elite League: "I hope he will integrate into the team as soon as possible, bring more choices to the team's technical and tactical play style in the next AFC Champions League Elite League, go hand in hand with his teammates, and bring more victories and honors to the Harbour family!" ”

Born in 1994, William Pope is 1.78 meters tall and plays as a striker. In 2016, he moved from Brazil to Asia to join Korea's Busan IPark, one year later switched to the Fukuoka Hornets of Japan, and after 2020, William Pope played twice for Mongthong United in Thailand.

During his time at Mongthong United, he made 97 appearances for the team, scoring 60 goals and providing 18 assists, including 23 appearances for Mongthong United in the Thailand League in the 2023 season, scoring 17 goals, and finishing third in the league scorer list. It can be said that with the strength of William Pope, it is more than enough to act as the 6th foreign aid of the harbor.

And the addition of William Pope is also a precautionary measure made by Harbor for Oscar's departure at the end of the year. At present, Oscar's contract with Harbour expires at the end of the year, and he may leave the team after playing in the Chinese Super League this season, when Harbour's AFC Champions League group stage has not yet been played.

After learning the lessons of last year, Harbour decided to bring in William Pope, at least to ensure that the frontcourt is still Wu Lei's +5 foreign aid configuration. Obviously, after the humiliating play-offs in the AFC Champions League last season, Harbour FC will also be hoping to make a comeback in the AFC Champions League Classic this season.