Since Guangzhou FC fell into the hands of the Evergrande Group in 2010, the club's course has been set to a firmly upward bearing. After an immediate return to the Super League in their first year of ownership, Evergrande have claimed six consecutive CSL titles and are two-time champions of Asia. It is a remarkable story of success.
Evergrande's rise is, of course, no football fairytale. Owner Xu Jiaxin's decision to invest in football was undoubtedly politically motivated and the team's success has been built upon investment until recently unmatched in Asian football. The Cantonese side were ahead of the curve.
Whether it be in elaborate expenditure on foreign talent or the 2013 opening of the world's largest football academy, Xu has not been shy in parting with money. Yet now, ahead of the 2017 campaign, the club's high-profile benefactor is beginning to talk of cutting back on first team investment and, instead, an "all Chinese squad" is now his stated aim for the club from the 2020 season.
"The goal of Evergrande in entering the football business was to contribute to the development of Chinese football," Xu said at the club's annual preseason meeting this week, as reported by the Financial Times.
"Our investment in introducing foreign players was relatively big. Starting next year, our investment should focus on youth training."
Xu's latest move comes just a month after the CSL's sudden decision to limit matchday foreign player numbers to just three -- a move widely believed to have come from high up in the government.
The club's new stated policy, previously mooted by Xu in 2013, has gone done well with Evergrande's core support.
"I believe that by 2020 it would be possible to compete for the title with an all Chinese side," Dongguan Evergrande supporters club leader Frank Wu told ESPN FC.
"The club have three years to prepare and adapt. Over the next three years, they will continue to buy in Chinese players and they can bring in players from the academy. it should be a good thing for Chinese football."
However, not everyone is so positive about Evergrande's prospects should they be the only side not to use overseas talent.
"Should other sides continue to be allowed to use 3+1 foreign players, it is clear that Evergrande would not be able to continue winning titles," Guangzhou-based journalist Pan Weili told ESPN FC.
"Although the club have the best Chinese side in the league, we can see from the goalscoring statistics that the majority are scored by the foreign players. If you look at the national team team, it has often been largely comprised of Evergrande players and goals have been a problem.
"Their key Chinese players are also in the latter stages of their career."
Regarding the club's motive for pursuing such an aim, Pan added: "The club and Xu have already helped to bring up the recognition of the CSL, but now they are moving on to stage two of the plan which is to help the overall development of Chinese football.
"The government wants to see better results for the national team, not just a strong CSL."
Indeed, the latest statements from Evergrande's leadership appear to be part of a personal quest of Xu to once more drive forward the speed of China's footballing development.
Long-term, the production of Chinese talent could also be a route to sustainability in a country where sponsorship and television income are dwarfed by expenditure.
It is interesting to note, therefore, that Evergrande appear to be keen to benefit from the current bubble in Chinese players' transfer values.
At this week's meeting, Shanghai Daily report Xu as saying the club must "seek other revenue methods apart from ticket sales and run the club as a business."
Part of that process has already seen the club take the unusual move of setting up an online listing of their players, detailing their attributes and personal details. Contact numbers are then given for individuals at the club.
Evergrande led the CSL into its current spending drive, providing the catalyst for transfer fees and wages to soar into the tens of millions. Yet it appears that, if Xu is good to his word, the club are once more going to head in a new direction where talent development is prioritised.
While such an aim is undoubtedly positive, it remains to be seen just how committed to the idea the Henan native may be should results suffer. In 2014, Xu was forced to abandon a plan to reduce bonus payments after a mid-season drop off in results.
It is this conflict between ideology and realism which will shape Evergrande's future once more. Grand gestures are all well and good, but Xu has shown many times he is unwilling to accept second best.
Should he really wish to play an all-Chinese side, he will be forced to choose between his desire to win and his desire to please party leadership.
After a quiet winter, Evergrande have once more ensured they are the biggest talking point in Chinese football. Whether Xu's dream can ever come to reality, though, remains to be seen.