Forward Oscar Maritu undergoing China naturalisation process, amid injury crisis in attack

Oscar Maritu is also expected to join former Hong Kong boss Jorn Andersen’s maiden Chinese Super League venture at Yunnan Yukun

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Oscar Maritu (centre) could add some much-needed firepower to China’s frontline as he undergoes the naturalisation process. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 2:00pm, 28 Nov 2024

Congolese striker Oscar Maritu is undergoing a process to switch his national allegiance to China, according to widespread reports in the mainland media.

The 25-year-old is also expected to join former Hong Kong boss Jorn Andersen’s maiden Chinese Super League venture at Yunnan Yukun next season after they stormed to promotion from China League One.

Maritu qualified for naturalisation after playing in China for more than five years. He moved to the mainland to join second-tier side Shaanxi Chang’an Athletic in 2019 and then signed for Cangzhou Mighty Lions 12 months later before becoming a free agent at the end of last season.

In the previous campaign, he scored seven times in 22 games for the Lions, which accounted for 20 per cent of his side’s goals.

Naturalising Maritu in a bid to bolster China’s frontline is a topic which has been discussed since June. Recent mainland reports suggested he was back in Congo to undergo the naturalisation process, which was described as a “formality”.

It would be a timely boost for manager Branko Ivankovic, who has seen his forward line decimated: star striker Wu Lei has not played in any of the last four World Cup qualifiers as he continues to battle back from a long-term injury, while Zhang Yuning, who scored in the two wins against Indonesia and Bahrain, could only come off the bench in the 3-1 loss to Japan.