Dumped by Shanghai – did Tim Cahill pay price for criticising Chinese football’s spending spree?
Australian star signed a new contract only in November, but has been deemed surplus to requirements with club possibly set to replace him with Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini
Australian star Tim Cahill criticised China's "revolving door" this month - less than two weeks later, it's hit him on the backside.
While half the world’s footballers seem to be heading to the Chinese Super League, Cahill is on his way out – at least from his current club Shanghai Shenhua. He revealed on Instagram that he has been dumped by Shanghai mere months after signing a new contract.
Earlier this month, Cahill criticised China’s spending spree calling it “crazy” and saying “it’s pretty much like a revolving door, you see a lot of players coming in and a lot of players going.”
A popular player, fans reacted angrily to the news he was leaving Shanghai - but despite his criticisms of the league's spending splurge he looks set to stay in China and it is understood he will sign a deal with another club in the league in the next 48 hours.
Cahill, who was one of the bigger names to move to China last season and had been a hit, said “I’m very sorry to announce that I have reached an agreement with Shanghai Shenhua to terminate my contract after being told that I’m not part of the new coach Manzano’s plans for the 2016 season having only just signed a new contract in November.”
Shanghai have not been one of the biggest spenders in this winter’s crazy transfer window, with Internazionale’s Fredy Guarin for €13 million (HK$112 million) their flagship signing. As they already have their quota of foreign players, they have to make room in the squad if they want to make a bigger flagship signing. Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini has been linked.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Argentine forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has signed with Hebei, with the club describing him as “the next Maradona” on a verified social media account.
They did not disclose a transfer fee, but previous UK press reports said he would earn £23.5 milliion (HK$262 million) over two years.
Cahill has always appeared enthusiastic about life in Shanghai and keen to promote China in general through regular social media posts, which makes his departure all the more surprising.
He recently drifted off message and criticised the league’s massive spending splurge.
It’s crazy to see [the spending] but this is only going to get worse
“It’s crazy to see [the spending] but this is only going to get worse. This is going to be massive. Soon they’ll break the $100m bracket very easily. I don’t know whether it’s going to help the league, but they’re investing. They’re doing great things. They’ve got the power.
“This sort of investment in players is a Catch 22. Does it help the Chinese? To a certain extent no. When you sign players like this, everything in the final third [of the pitch] is up to us [foreigners], if we don’t deliver, it doesn’t happen.”
Cahill told his fans on Instagram to expect news in the next 48 hours, with his agent suggesting he would stay in China.
“He will stay in China. I’m in Asia now and will be with him in two days to discuss potential deals [and] there are a few interested clubs,” Ante Alilovic told AAP.
Shanghai wished Cahill well on their Weibo page, saying the agreement to end the deal was mutual in a post with the jovial headline “See you again, Timmy!”
“Even though he is Australian, Cahill was one of us,” he said.
“In every game he gave everything. It was like having a fan on the pitch fighting for us. Fans can’t believe that the club would release him.
“We have had so many foreign players that have come and gone without making an impact so to lose Cahill is an unpopular decision.”
