According to sources from the Beijing Youth Daily, the progress of Oscar’s naturalization process has been less than satisfactory due to factors such as procedures and funding. It should be noted that the salary caps for regular domestic players and foreign players in the Chinese Super League (CSL) differ significantly, which would require consensus on how the club would apply player wage standards if Oscar were to be naturalized. The main body responsible for naturalization is the club, and if they are unable to push forward the process, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) would be powerless to assist.
Industry insiders believe that, given that the Chinese national team has already called up several naturalized attackers, any new additions through naturalization should primarily focus on midfielders with skills to “dribble, run, and pass.” It is understood that Zhou Dingyang, a central midfielder playing for Chengdu Rongcheng FC, is a candidate that has gained general recognition. However, Zhou has previously represented another AFC member association team in official competitions like the Asian Qualifiers, making his naturalization unfeasible.
Looking at the current situation, it seems unlikely for the Chinese team to recruit new naturalized players before the start of the September playoff matches, or even within this calendar year. In this context, the coaching staff will have to look inward and explore the potential within the existing pool of candidates.