On top of the Oscar glow, Argentine winger Vargas has become a thorn in the side of Turkish clubs, with rumors of a move to the Turkish Super League next season abounding. Meanwhile, the departure of Brazilian outside back Pope seems to be a foregone conclusion after his loan contract expired due to the scarcity of playing opportunities. This series of changes may cause the harbor to lose three key foreign aiders in the short term, which is self-evidently a blow to the team's overall strength.
To add insult to injury, the harbor team's top scorer Wu Lei has recently suffered repeated knee injuries and his form has fluctuated. After withdrawing from the national team, the national soccer team has an impressive record, but has brought great public pressure on Wu Lei. All these factors are intertwined, threatening to affect his performance next season.
This series of turmoil has put Shanghai Seaport under tremendous pressure. As the defending champions, they not only have to deal with the challenges of other teams, but also the drastic changes in their lineup.
The Harbour Club is undergoing an internal reorganization, which has given city rivals Shanghai Shenhua a chance to turn things around. This season, Shenhua missed out on the Chinese Super League title by just one point. Now, with the Harbour's unsteady lineup, Shenhua has the perfect opportunity to turn things around. In recent years, Shenhua's youth training has yielded remarkable results, with young players such as Zhu Chenjie, Jiang Shenglong, Wang Haijian, and Xu Haoyang having become stalwarts of the team and making their mark on the national team. The turmoil and declining strength of the Harbor team makes Shenhua a contender to be reckoned with in the battle for the Super League title next season.
However, Shanghai Shenhua is also facing problems of its own. Recent rumors about the club's alleged match-fixing incidents continue to circulate, and if the news is true, Shenhua and Shandong Taishan may be penalized by the Football Association next season with point deductions. If so, Beijing Guoan will undoubtedly be the biggest beneficiary of the Super League title race next season.
