BEIJING, June 21 -- Chinese Super League side Shandong Luneng announced on Friday that Pedro Delgado has gained Chinese citizenship after all necessary steps to play for the team.

Delgado, born on April 7th, 1997 in Portugal, joined Luneng in 2019. Sources told Xinhua that the 22-year-old midfielder will be eligible to play for Shandong Luneng in Chinese Super League.

Luneng will be hosted by Tianjin Teda on Saturday, and Delgado is ready to play.

"He could play in tomorrow's match, but he needs to work hard to make the starters list," Luneng head coach Li Xiaopeng said.

Delgado was not alone in China, as Beijing Guoan already had two naturalized players, Li Ke and Hou Yongyong.

Li Ke, the London-born former England youth international, became the first naturalized footballer in the Chinese Super League in March and the first naturalized player to play in Chinese national soccer team in early June.

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