As the Chinese football world reels from the shock news that Shanghai Shenhua have officially announced the departure of Argentine striker Javier "Moreno" Morales, it is clear that this decision has come as a significant blow to the club's ambitions for the upcoming season.
The former Real Madrid player was signed by Shenhua in January last year and immediately made an impact on the Chinese Super League with his impressive goalscoring record. He scored 16 goals in just 22 appearances before his contract expired at the end of the season.
However, despite his excellent form, Moreno's departure from Shenhua is not without controversy. The Argentine has been accused of failing to show up for training sessions, which led to speculation that he may have been looking to leave the club. This is certainly not the first time that Shenhua has had issues with their star players,Chinese Super League Stand with the team having previously been accused of signing players who were not fully committed to their contracts.
Despite these challenges, Shenhua will now be hoping to find a replacement for Moreno and continue their pursuit of success in China's top flight. However, it remains to be seen whether they can replicate the success that Moreno brought to the club during his short stint with them. For now, fans of the club will have to wait and see what happens next.