Beijing Youth Daily: Naturalization of ‘Serginho’ Not Yet in Practical Stage, Ivan Does Not Rule Out Quality Targets

According to a report by the Beijing Youth Daily, the naturalization of Serginho for the Chinese national football team has not yet entered the practical stage.

The report states that although rumors about Serginho’s potential naturalization and his contribution to China’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup have been widespread, it is understood that various objective factors have prevented this from entering the practical stage at this time.

National team head coach Ivan Kovac remains open to high-quality naturalized players, but the current situation of the national team is not favorable. The coaching staff’s priority is still to prepare diligently and will not entirely rely on the immediate arrival of powerful naturalized players.

The media analysis suggests that the implementation process for naturalizing players is quite complex, and success depends on various issues such as financial and legal considerations. Moreover, the primary entity responsible for advancing this work is the player’s club. Therefore, even if a player transfers to a club with favorable conditions and meets the requirements of the national team, there is still uncertainty about whether they can be naturalized in a timely manner.

It is understood that Ivan maintains an open attitude towards naturalized players. If a quality candidate emerges, he will not refuse them. However, if a player who meets the naturalization criteria does not fit the tactical needs or is not significantly better than domestic players, the coaching staff will still not call them up. Previously, Ivan had evaluated Oscar, a foreign player for Cangzhou Lions, but was not impressed by his performance.