Russian center-back arrives! Foreign player puzzle completed, Rongcheng targets Chinese Super League championship

Written by Lu Mi and Han Bing On February 4th, coinciding with the beginning of spring, Chengdu Tianfu International Airport received a special visitor — Rongcheng’s fifth foreign player, Russian center-back Sorokin. His arrival marks the completion of Rongcheng’s foreign player roster. Led by new coach Aloisi, this team with a points lead is working hard to overcome cohesion difficulties and push toward their first Chinese Super League championship in history.

This winter transfer window, Rongcheng’s reinforcements have been precise and efficient, with every signing directly addressing squad weaknesses. During the Chinese Super League’s crackdown on match-fixing and corruption, Rongcheng was the only team among last season’s top six to escape penalty, starting with zero point deductions. Compared to rivals like Shanghai Port and Shenhua, who were docked 5 to 10 points, Rongcheng naturally holds a points advantage. This has also strengthened the club’s resolve to increase investment and pursue their best-ever results.

Previously, the club signed “Qingdao Mbappe” Silva and former Shanghai Port defensive midfielder Yusa, boosting attacking penetration and midfield interception strength. Along with retained core foreign players Felipe and Romulo, the team’s offensive and defensive framework began to take shape. The only gap was in defense due to the retirement of key player Timo. Sorokin’s arrival fills this crucial defensive vacancy.

Now, Rongcheng’s foreign player setup forms a well-balanced mix of offense and defense, blending youth and experience: Felipe leads the attack as the focal point, Silva handles wing breakthroughs, significantly upgrading offensive firepower; midfield is controlled by Romulo, with Yusa serving as a defensive shield, balancing possession and toughness; defense is anchored by Sorokin, paired with domestic players like Dong Yanfeng, greatly enhancing aerial and direct interception capabilities. Alongside domestic stars Wei Shihao and Liu Dianzuo, the team’s depth and competitiveness rank among the Chinese Super League’s elite, making them one of the top contenders for the 2026 title.

Starting the title race with a 5-point lead, how will Chengdu Rongcheng handle this unexpected advantage?

Notably, Sorokin headed straight to the team’s training base immediately after landing, officially beginning his career with Rongcheng.

Born from Zenit St. Petersburg’s youth academy, Sorokin stands 1.92 meters tall with a strong physique and excellent physical dueling ability, plus some assist skills. During the 2018/19 season with Rubin Kazan, he scored 6 goals in 27 Russian Premier League matches, netting against strong teams like Zenit and Spartak Moscow. By season’s end, his market value peaked at 4 million euros. He made his Russian national team debut in October 2018 and joined Russian top club Krasnodar in March 2020. In his first six starts, the team conceded only five goals and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.

In the 2020/21 season, Sorokin made his Champions League debut. In July 2024, he joined FC Kairat Almaty, helping the team win the Kazakhstan Premier League title that year. In 2025, he led the team to defend the championship and participated in the Champions League for the second time. Last summer, he excelled in Champions League qualifiers, leading a defense that conceded only three goals in eight matches and eliminating Scottish giants Celtic, making Kairat the first Kazakh club to reach the Champions League group stage. In the third qualifying round’s first leg, he won a penalty that gave his team a 1-0 lead. In the playoff first leg, a 0-0 draw against Celtic ended their 36-match home scoring streak across all competitions, earning him man of the match honors. Sorokin’s mental toughness shone in two penalty shootouts in the third round and playoff second leg, where he saved all shots, becoming key to the team’s qualification.

This season, Sorokin played all 16 matches in Champions League qualifiers and league stages against European powerhouses like Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Arsenal, Sporting CP, Olympiacos, and Club Brugge. In the league phase, he ranked second for aerial duels won (27), just behind Liverpool’s Van Dijk (28). He was shortlisted for the 2025 Russian Best Player award and also nominated for the Champions League stage Best XI.

Sorokin is known for his resilience. In 2023, while at Krasnodar, he was relegated to the reserves due to injury and forced to accept a salary cut. However, he contested the club, terminated his contract, and returned to Rubin Kazan. At that time, Rubin’s coach Rasimov doubted his ability, even saying Sorokin was hardly a footballer.

“But I proved him wrong.” After leading Kairat Almaty into the Champions League group stage, Sorokin sent a WeChat message to his former doubters Rasimov and sporting director Kuba, saying “Greetings and hugs,” accompanied by a clown emoji.

After his contract expired at the end of last year, Sorokin received offers from Russian Premier League clubs but ultimately chose to join Rongcheng. He brings 18 Champions League appearances and two Kazakhstan league titles. His impact on Rongcheng’s defense goes beyond defending; he brings championship-level confidence to the team.

While completing the squad, Aloisi is pushing forward tactical integration. Upon taking charge, the Australian decisively abandoned Xu Zhengyuan’s three-center-back system, favoring a simple and efficient 4-4-2/4-2-3-1 formation that emphasizes intense midfield pressing and rapid transitions, differing slightly from Rongcheng’s previous possession-based style. This demands high adaptability from the players.

During winter training, Rongcheng traveled to Abu Dhabi for overseas camp, playing five friendlies. They lost to teams like Neftchi Baku and Rostov, revealing issues such as unfamiliar defensive positioning and lack of support defense, but these matches provided valuable experience for tactical cohesion.

Currently, team integration is at a critical stage with varied progress across positions. Up front, Felipe remains a key pivot, and if Wei Shihao is pushed forward, they form a “tall and fast” duo. New signing Silva’s wing breakthroughs add a new dimension to the attack. In midfield, Yusa and Romulo’s cooperation is improving, balancing offense and defense, which should ease pressure from Zhou Dingyang’s departure, though midfield control still needs strengthening. The defense is in early adaptation due to Sorokin’s late arrival, but after adjusting to the time difference, his integration should accelerate through upcoming AFC Champions League matches.

Now fully assembled with foreign players in place, Rongcheng is about to restart their AFC Champions League campaign, which will serve as a formal test for new coach Aloisi and the revamped squad. Their true strength will soon be revealed.