The adventures of China's four soccer players plying their trade in England seem to have come to an abrupt end as uncertainty about their future faces them all.

National team captain Zheng Zhi of Charlton Athletic and midfielder Li Tie of Sheffield United have both experienced the sour taste of relegation and will almost certainly seek pastures new.

Striker Dong Fangzhuo has made a solitary, unimpressive appearance for Manchester United and faces an uphill battle for playing time, while at rivals Manchester City, with the sacking of manager Stuart Pearce and rumors of a takeover swirling, the future of defender Sun Jihai is far from clear.

Li will make a rare appearance when he plays for China today against Thailand in an Asian Cup warm-up. The playmaker who so impressed during his first Premier League stint with Everton has been plagued by injuries the past three seasons, and failed to make a single appearance for Sheffield United.

Some impressive performances in the reserve league have earned him a national team recall, and Li hopes this will be a catalyst for change.

"I hope to get back to my former self by competing in as many matches as possible," he said.

"My future at the club is still not determined but I think as long as I show my ability, I still have a chance in the top European leagues."

One man not short of suitors will be Zheng Zhi.

Considered a gamble when Charlton took him on loan in January, Zheng became a hit with fans thanks to his creativity and quality on the ball.

Fans nominated him as player of the month for March, but with no permanent deal signed and Zheng having spoken of his desire to stay in the Premier League, it appears almost certain that he will be wearing different colors next season.

"Frankly speaking I have no idea about my future," the versatile midfielder told Titan Sports.

"What I can do at the moment is collect all the things here and go back to Shandong Luneng... All I can say is everything in England has come to a full stop.

"I was loaned by Luneng. What I do and where I go next should be decided by the club."

But Zheng also expressed his desire to stay in the top flight.

"Personally, I hope to continue my career in the Premier League. But it's hard to predict. My agent will help deal with the issue with the two clubs.

"I've gained a lot from competing in one of the world's best leagues during the past few months. There are players from all over the world and I had the chance to challenge players with different styles. It's a good experience for me."

"In my opinion, the Premier League is the toughest league in the world," he added.

"I will miss my Charlton days. This experience was the most unforgettable of my life. I still have my dreams and the ability to make those dreams a reality, so I have no regrets."

United front

While Dong Fangzhuo will remain a Manchester United player, a shortage of first-team opportunities means he is likely to head to another club on loan to gain some much-needed experience.

The striker spent the first two and a half years as a joke figure at Belgian feeder club Royal Antwerp, but after gaining a work permit he was finally able to move to Manchester in January.

With the team struggling with injuries to forwards Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Louis Saha, Dong earned a seat on the bench, but it wasn't until the dead rubber clash at Chelsea that he finally made his debut.

It was a start to forget, however, as after 65 minutes of anonymity he was withdrawn in favor of Wayne Rooney. Dong looked off the pace and was beaten to every ball by England center back John Terry.

While fellow youngster Chris Eagles made an impact and earned plaudits, Dong looked well short of what is required at the top level and will surely be sent down the English leagues to prove himself.

"It's not easy to get a chance in such a competitive match. But I failed to prove myself on the pitch. I think I was under too much pressure. I should have played much better," said Dong after the game. "But I still believe I will have chances in the future. I know how to play next time."

"I still need to learn a lot of things at this club. For a Chinese player, it is a really good opportunity to be a member of United. I will treasure the chance and try my best to become an important part of the line-up in the future."

In the blue half of Manchester, the future of China's longest-serving Premier League player Sun Jihai has been thrown into doubt by the departure of manager Stuart Pearce and a potential takeover.

City finished a lowly 14th in the league and have failed to score a goal at home in 2007. Added to this star player Joey Barton is set to leave the club after an ugly fight with a teammate.

Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Sinawatra has emerged as the favorite to buy the club, and he has already began talking of bringing in a top European manager to guide his new investment.

There will be money to spend and as such question marks surround Sun, who is almost 30 and has struggled with a knee injury this season.

But given the chance, Sun would definitely like to remain in England.

"I am now enjoying the sport. In the past five years as long as I've had no injuries, I've been included in the matchday squad of 16 almost every time. While I've got a 70 percent chance of competing as a first choice, I'm glad to see myself able to keep a consistent level."

"The only thing that makes you live on in the Premier League is your ability. No manager will pick you if you're not up to the job.

"In the domestic (Chinese) league, it is likely a good relationship with manager will reward you with a spot in the starting line-up. But here, you have to prove yourself."

(China Daily via Agencies May 16, 2007)