Vyacheslav Hleb - Shanghai Shenhua's connection

The Shanghai club has made three other very strong-looking signings, raiding Belorussian side FC MTZ-RIPO to sign 25-year-old Belorussian international forward Vyacheslav Hleb, (brother of Barcelona star Aliaksandr Hleb) and his team-mate, Bulgarian defender Yanko Valkanov.

Not content with that, Shenhua also picked up striker Hernán Barcos from Argentinian side Racing Club. The fact that none of these signings are household names is a blessing in disguise - all of these players are in their mid-twenties and yet to reach their full potential, unlike some of the washed-up has-beens the Shanghai club have signed in the past.

This means Shenhua have a very strong four non-Chinese players for next season - taking advantage of the new 3+1 rule, which allows all Asian clubs to field three foreigner players plus one other player from an Asian Confederation member country. The new regulation has created something of an inter-Asian transfer market overnight as the regions top clubs rushed to sign players for this seasons Asian Champions League.

By Cameron Wilson:
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