Guangzhou R&F hoping for boost from new players

Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F has made a hefty investment during the winter transfer period, as part of efforts to boost its competitiveness in both the domestic and Asian competitions in the coming season, a club manager said.

The Guangzhou club, which ranked sixth in the domestic league last year, has introduced eight new players, of whom four are foreigners, by investing more than 100 million yuan ($16.26 million) before the transfer window closed, according to Lu Yi, vice-chairman of Guangzhou R&F.

"The hefty investment on buying prominent players will help us realize the goal - to compete both in the domestic and Asian champion leagues," Lu said.

Chinese defenders Jiang Zhipeng and Zhu Baojie, mid-fielder Wang Xiaolong and goalkeeper Zhang Shichang are part of the new move.

In addition, South Korean national team players Jang Hyun-soo and Park Jong-woo, Morocco striker Abderrazaq Hamed-allah and Denmark international Ken Ilso Larsen have been transferred to the club.

"This year, we will make utmost efforts to be qualified into the AFC Champions League," Lu said.

The opening ceremony of the new domestic league will kick off on Saturday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, with city rival Guangzhou Evergrande playing against Henan Jianye.