Dong Fangzhuo, an 18-year-old forward, has been the spotlight on China's sports media recently having scored a brilliant goal for the Manchester United reserve team in only his second day of training.

Receiving a pass from his teammate, Dong dribbled past the goalkeeper before putting the ball into an open net, helping his team to a 2-0 win.

Dong, promoted to first squad of China's first division Champion Dalian Shide at 17, is also the first Chinese player to train at Manchester United since China started its professional football league in 1992.

Despite playing on the reserve team, Dong still played with some United first team players, including South African international midfielder Quinton Fortune.

"Even on a reserve team, their skilled performance, especially ball passing when running is obvious. I guess that's why Manchester United are among the world top clubs," said Dong.

The young Chinese forward is expected to display his great potential and may score again in the 2-week long training session before the club makes an assessment, which will determine his future in the English Premier League.

"Dong Fangzhuo will return to China in two weeks. His performance during the training stint will determine whether he stays or not. Even if he stays, we still have to discuss with United whether it is a loan or a transfer," said Lin Lefeng, manager of the Shide club.

If Dong convinces the Premiership champions with his abilities, he could become the third Chinese player in the Premier League, after Sun Jihai at Manchester City and Li Tie at Everton. Both have won recognition after one year of hard work and struggle.

Sun, the former key player for Dalian Shide, has set a fine example for Dong emerging as a defending force at right for Manchester City in the first four rounds of the 2003-04 Premier League.

But we should never forget Zhang Xiaobin, a newly-named member of China's Olympic Football Team. After one year's outstanding captaincy on the English Second Division team Stockport's youth team, at 18, he has become the youngest player to get a place on the national Olympic.

There is no doubt that players going overseas are showing rapid improvement both in skills and consciousness. It is only right that more excellent players should be sent to play in developed football leagues if possible.

It is believed that with more and more Chinese players leaving their footprints on the European field, China's football position in the world is going to change in the near future.

Dong is now tipped as a possible successor to China's best striker Hao Haidong.

(China Daily 09/06/2003 page7)