Chinese Super League side Shandong, who have to navigate past the 2019 AFC Champions League playoffs, defeated Japanese club Sagan Tosu 3-1 to claim the Lunar New Year Cup.

Shandong took the field without injured star recruit Marouane Fellaini, who signed from Manchester United last week, but Brazilian centre-back Gil put the Chinese side ahead in the second minute from a corner.

The 31-year-old arrived in Hong Kong on Sunday to meet with teammates and sign autographs for fans, but missed training and flew home to Belgium that night for treatment.

Fellaini had been expected to make his first appearance with the club at Hong Kong's annual Lunar New Year Cup invitational on Tuesday.

"Of course we are very happy that he is joining the club," Shandong coach Li Xiaopeng told reporters. "But between his health and the game, we think that his health is the more important."

Li did not say whether the Belgium international would recover for the start of the Chinese Super League (CSL) on March 1.

The 66-year-old, who was in charge of the Qatar national team until July 2017, arrives with Al Ahli some 10 points behind Saudi Pro League leaders Al Hilal and having been knocked out of the King’s Cup by Al Wehda Club.

Al Duhail recently announced the signing of Nakajima from Portuguese top-flight side Portimonense on a four and a half years contract, having earlier strengthened their ranks by bringing in Morocco international Medhi Benatia from Italian giants Juventus

Nakajima said he was excited about the transfer.

"I made the decision because everything about the club was attractive," the 24-year-old attacker said.

Yangon United defeated Philippines champions Ceres Negros at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod to seal a Preliminary Stage Two encounter with Thailand's Chiangrai United in Bangkok on Tuesday.

The Myanmar side started positively and took the lead through Brazilian attacker Vinicius de Oliviera in the 29th minute, with Philippines international Stephan Schröck equalising for Ceres Negro just before the half time whistle was blown.

Yangon United, however, continued to press and substitute Kaung Htet Soe restored their lead in the 59th minute as they held on for the win.

Their place in the second stage was sealed at the expense of Singapore's Home United, the team who had ended Persija's 2018 AFC Cup campaign in the ASEAN Zonal semi-finals.

Ho Wai Loon's own goal in the ninth minute gave the Indonesian side the lead, but Song Ui-young restored parity two minutes from the break. However, second half goals from Beto Goncalves and Marko Simic gave Persija the win.

The 22-year-old centre-back, whose club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors said they had received a bid from Watford reported to be about US$8 million, instead plumped for the Chinese Super League (CSL).

Guoan, who finished fourth in the CSL last season, announced Kim's signing but did not disclose the size of the transfer fee.

Coached by Germany's Roger Schmidt, Guoan will be hoping the established international can stiffen a defence that conceded 45 goals in the CSL last season.