Wu Lei of ECD Espanyol looks on from the bench during the La Liga game against Valencia at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, May 14, 2022. /CFP
Chinese footballer Wu Lei has confirmed he is likely to return to the Chinese Super League (CSL) in an interview with ifeng.com after playing three and a half seasons in Spanish leagues.
Wu has made 125 appearances for ECD Espanyol in La Liga, La Liga 2 and UEFA Europa League among other competitions. The striker scored 16 goals and six assists in total. He didn't attend the club's training camp in Marbella, Spain.
When asked about recent reports about him coming back to the CSL, Wu answered: "It's almost done."
Wu had a difficult 2021-22 campaign. He often had to appear off the bench and got only two goals and one assist in 27 games. He improved his form as the season was coming to an end, which made some think he might stay longer in Spain.
Wu Lei of RCD Espanyol controls the ball in the La Liga game against Granada at Nuevo Estadio de Los Carmenes in Granada, Spain, May 22, 2022. /CFP
"In the past few years, if we look at them only for game-playing, this winter was the most difficult to me," Wu said. "I thought about leaving but without a specific intention of either going home or going somewhere else in Europe. I didn't think I could be helpful to the team anymore. Neither did I have the strong sensation of participation."
Wu revealed that manager Vicente Moreno told him to try another half year at the club. "After the manager talked to me, I felt I shouldn't give up. It's never easy for me to play overseas and I would regret it if I had returned home back then. So I decided to give it another try. Judging by the process and results later, it's worth it. I scored goals in return."
Wu, 31, could feel the pressure of competing for a spot in the team with players who are as young as 18 or 19 years old. "Their youth development system is strong, but you can only see it from inside. They can replace the whole squad with youngsters if they want. That's how good the system is. But the team can't do that, so they just add one or two new players year by year," Wu told ifeng.com.
There have been reports about Wu leaving RCD Espanyol during almost every transfer window since he went to Spain. He understood why there were voices either wanting him to leave or supporting him to stay. "I must think by myself and figure out what decision serves me the best," he said.
A fan of RCD Espanyol holds a banner on which writes Wu Lei's name during the La Liga game against RC Celta de Vigo at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, April 10, 2022. /CFP
Having gone through ups and downs at RCD Espanyol, including making it back to the Europa League, being relegated to La Liga 2 and then being promoted back to the top division, Wu feels attached to the club. "RCD Espanyol helped me experience the European football culture. Even after I go back home or retire, I will pay attention to their games. I feel attached to the club," Wu said in the interview.
When Wu was preparing to go overseas in 2019, RCD Espanyol was not the only club reaching out to him. Their owner, Chen Yansheng, is a Chinese businessman, and many questioned whether the move was about sport or business. Wu disagreed.
"RCD Espanyol had me when they told me they studied three years of my games in the CSL and I felt it after arrival. The club has a scouting system that watches CSL games every year to analyze which players can join the franchise at which level of competitions," Wu said.
He revealed that he wanted to prove he deserved to be with RCD Espanyol not because of the Chinese ownership, but because of his performance. "From my first training session, I kept telling myself I can't have others look down on me or consider me as some business connection with the owner," Wu said. "Judging by practice and games, locals approved me. They like me."
Wu Lei (C) of RCD Espanyol celebrates after scoring a goal in the La Liga game against RC Celta de Vigo at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, April 10, 2022. /CFP
Wu said local media outlets, fans and his teammates have the same standard of judgment for every player, no matter where he is from. "My manager, teammates and fans don't care where you come from. One of the major reasons that I am able play for this long here because is fans' respect," he added.
As the only Chinese player in the top European football leagues, Wu understood Chinese fans' expectations of him as well as their disappointment at the national team's loss. "But I want to say, I have been playing in Europe by myself at this age. Football is a team sport and one player can't make too much difference by himself. It's a player's professional pursuit to go overseas. I didn't do it for the Football Association or to realize others' wishes. It's wrong to assume that a Chinese player joins a foreign club to make Chinese football look better," he said.