Recently, Shanghai Shenhua, as the leader in the first half of the Chinese Super League, is facing a serious challenge from the city's rival Shanghai Port, and its position as a leader no longer seems to be secure. Against this backdrop, Shenhua made the eye-catching decision to announce the renewal of the contracts of two foreign players in the team, Teixeira and Amadou, a move that has undoubtedly injected new energy into the team. However, the decision also unexpectedly put another foreign player, Malele, in a delicate position.
Teixeira and Amadou have been the team's leaders since joining Shenhua in 2023. Their contracts were due to expire at the end of this year, but after careful consideration, Shenhua decided to renew their contract until 2025, showing full recognition of their abilities and contributions. Amadou quickly earned the trust of fans and coaching staff with his outstanding performances; Teixeira, on the other hand, was in a slump last season, but this season he has found his best form and has become an indispensable part of the team's quest for the title.
However, at the same time as Teixeira and Amadou renewed their contracts, Malele's future became uncertain. Like the previous two, he is also a foreign player who joined Shenhua last season, and his contract also expires at the end of this year. As the team's main striker, Malele showed great goalscoring ability on the pitch, especially in his journey to win the FA Cup last year. However, as the team's tactical style shifted this season, Malele's technical and chance-taking deficiencies were gradually exposed, leaving his position in jeopardy.
For Shenhua, whether to continue to retain Malele has become a matter that needs to be carefully considered. On the one hand, his goalscoring ability and game experience still have some value for the team; On the other hand, his technical shortcomings and ups and downs in form could also be a hidden danger in the team's way forward. Therefore, Shenhua needs to make an informed decision based on weighing the pros and cons. If they decide to give up on Malele, Shenhua will need to find a new foreign player who can better integrate into the team's tactical system and have stronger attacking ability to fill the void. At the same time, they also need to take into account the feelings and expectations of fans for Malele, and try to avoid unnecessary controversy and doubts.