In 2026, Xinpengcheng aims for a breakthrough.

Reported by Wang Wei Recently, "Jiahe Wanggang" has been trending online, with every city in the Greater Bay Area claiming the next nationwide sensation. Shenzhen’s “Breakthrough” station song is now available. Meanwhile, Xinpengcheng, also based in Shenzhen, aims to "turn over a new leaf" in 2026 with a fresh strategy. The club has signed nine domestic and international players such as Zhou Dingyang, Yao Junsheng, and Ademi, showing considerable investment. Last weekend, Daniel Stenz, the club’s German sporting director, gave an exclusive interview detailing the club’s plans for a comeback in the new season.

After last year’s Chinese Super League ended, Xinpengcheng acted swiftly, officially appointing Chen Tao and quickly signing nine domestic and foreign players including Zhou Dingyang, Dai Weijun, Xiadalong, Yao Junsheng, Ademi, Owusu, Li Long, Tian Yifan, and Hu Jiajin, demonstrating a strong commitment.

Daniel said Xinpengcheng is a very young club that has undergone huge changes and challenges over the past two years, from achieving promotion to settling in Shenzhen, which was expected. “As sporting director, I took over in summer 2024 when the transfer window had closed. My role was to quickly adapt and maximize the potential of the current squad and system. At that time, we decided to make coaching staff changes at the end of the season and ultimately secured survival.”

Daniel reviewed the team-building over the past two seasons, saying, “Changing a team’s character and style takes time. We have a clear plan for the future, but at the end of the 2024 season, we had to accept the reality of the stage we were at and respect existing contract terms.”

Daniel described 2025 as a transitional year, “The team stuck with a 3-5-2 formation to maximize the current squad’s strengths and lay the groundwork for the future. For example, we planned to sign Wesley early but had to wait until the summer window to finalize it. Although the season was tougher than expected, we still gained valuable experience. We brought in key players like Ji Jiabao, Jiang Zhipeng, Zhang Xiaobin, and Wesley. Young player Zhang Yujie, injured mid-season, is also seen as a success story of our scouting department. Chen Tao’s appointment means we have a head coach who aligns well with our philosophy and style.”

Regarding the 2026 season, Daniel expressed the possibility of switching to a four-defender system, “This not only reflects the club’s professional approach but also aligns more closely with the City Football Group’s style. The club has made great efforts in recruitment; despite previous poor results, we successfully persuaded many top players to join. Although our investment is not among the highest, Xinpengcheng’s long-term vision, the passionate atmosphere created at home games last season, and top-notch matchday fan experience are our strengths.”

Daniel revealed that besides ready-to-play top players, the club also considers young talents with potential, “Our recent signings have strengthened several areas including leadership, speed, attacking efficiency, and overall squad depth. I prefer not to single out any player but emphasize that we are building a cohesive team.”

Outside observers see Zhou Dingyang as Xinpengcheng’s biggest signing so far, but Daniel disagrees, “Zhou Dingyang is an important addition, but we also brought in other exciting high-level players who will soon prove their worth.” He noted Zhou had many suitors, as he has demonstrated value both on and off the pitch and integrated well—something Xinpengcheng previously lacked. “As a newly promoted team, we are at a disadvantage in competition, but we established early contact and maintained close communication with Zhou’s team, fully presenting the club’s plans and vision, which led to his decision to join us. This shows that patience and motivation are sometimes needed in recruitment.” Daniel said, “Zhou’s role in the team matches that of every Xinpengcheng player: to blend diverse cultures into a collective, contribute, and build a positive, sustainable team that represents the club’s values and brings joy to fans.”

Besides the nine new signings, the club renewed contracts with veterans Jiang Zhipeng and Yu Rui. Daniel believes cultivating the team’s character takes time and leadership is key to helping young players grow, “We are pleased to have players like Jiang Zhipeng and Yu Rui who fully embrace the club’s values and philosophy, bring experience, and serve as role models. They provide vital and correct elements crucial for a team’s success.”

Dai Weijun, Xiadalong, and Hu Jiajin either have Shenzhen roots or connections with the club, “We definitely want to add more local elements to show Xinpengcheng as a Shenzhen and Guangdong team. But player quality is always the priority. If a player combines talent with local ties, we are certainly willing to consider them,” Daniel said.

Xinpengcheng still has one foreign player slot left, which Daniel plans to fill with a central defender, though the specific choice is undecided, “During recruitment, the club ensures careful decisions, prioritizing player quality over speed.”

On whether to continue signing domestic players, Daniel said it depends on the transfer market and team needs, “We hope to bring more good news to Shenzhen fans.”

After signing multiple strong players and with other teams losing points, outsiders predict Xinpengcheng could reach the top eight or even top four. Daniel smiled and said the club’s goal remains steady: to improve the team each year, make Shenzhen fans proud, and grow with the team long-term rather than rushing and losing momentum, “We hope for a good start next season and to focus on each match steadily. Let’s see how things stand at season’s end. The important thing is to show a good team image, gain more support, and create memorable moments for fans.”

This year marks Xinpengcheng’s third year in Shenzhen. When appointed sporting director, Daniel said he wanted to build a team fans could be proud of. About the future, he said, “We are a young club with clear plans and vision, part of the City Football Group. We don’t want to copy any model but follow a path unique to Shenzhen and Xinpengcheng. I believe if we persist, success will come.”

From 2017 to 2021, Daniel was technical director at Taishan. In July 2024, he joined Xinpengcheng as sporting director. Having worked in China for nearly six to seven years, he also had stints at clubs in Europe and North America. “I’ve experienced different countries and leagues, each unique. For example, in Vancouver, Canada, I helped discover Alphonso Davies and won a championship with one of the youngest teams; in Union Berlin, I witnessed a third-tier team rise to the Bundesliga and qualify for the Champions League. These achievements all stem from meticulous planning and diligent execution by everyone involved, which is the philosophy Xinpengcheng practices.” Daniel said his time at Taishan was special, “I fell in love with Chinese culture then. However, from a long-term perspective, Chinese professional football at that time might have done more harm than good. In comparison, my experiences in Berlin, Vancouver, and with the Hungarian national team might be more valuable because we focused on sustainable development and doing the right things at the right time. The key is adapting and integrating into multicultural environments and finding your own path—European football is not perfect, and Chinese football has its own characteristics and strengths. At Xinpengcheng, we have a group eager to learn from each other and progress together, which is the foundation for overcoming challenges and achieving success.”

Xinpengcheng is currently the only Chinese club with international capital investment, combining global football concepts with local practice as an innovation.

“As mentioned before, the willingness to learn and adapt proactively is crucial. With the team building over the past two seasons, we have gradually developed this ability and made positive progress in match analysis, scouting systems, and player performance. Also, around head coach Chen Tao, there is an experienced Chinese team integrating deep understanding of Chinese football into daily work. I think we are doing well so far and hope to keep improving to achieve industry-leading results in all areas.”

Additionally, Xinpengcheng prioritizes building its youth training system, “The team’s future depends on generations of young talents. Whether Xinpengcheng succeeds will rely on nurturing more outstanding local players within our system. Over the past two years, the club has adjusted its youth training structure and achieved excellent results, which will remain a key focus going forward,” Daniel said.

After last season, Chen Tao was officially appointed head coach, marking the club’s first time hiring a local coach as the main manager. At the end of last year, Chen visited the UK headquarters for exchange, exemplifying Xinpengcheng’s blend of international football philosophy and local practice. “Choosing Chen Tao as head coach was a wise decision. Although his resume may not be the most extensive, from day one he showed strong learning, adaptability, cooperation, and brought deep understanding of the Chinese football environment along with international perspective,” Daniel said. He maintains close collaboration with Chen, “We share highly aligned views on football philosophy and team building. The club’s international staff supports Chen, helping the team improve daily. Exchanges and visits with Manchester City and other clubs in the group will further deepen this working model, and I believe these will leave a lasting impact on Chen’s coaching career.”