Shandong Luneng's performance in the 2024 season can be described as disappointing. As a traditional powerhouse in Chinese football, the team not only finished fifth in the league, missing out on the AFC Champions League qualification, but also lost to Shanghai Port in the FA Cup final, losing their last chance to qualify for the AFC Champions League. Such results are undoubtedly a heavy blow to an ambitious team, and it can be said that they have experienced a complete "four empties" season.
In this context, the team should have made a decision on the future of head coach Choi Kang-hee. However, due to the oversight at the time of signing, the contract did not include clauses related to performance, which put Shandong Luneng in an awkward situation. If the club were to unilaterally terminate its contract with Choi Kang-hee, it would have to pay a high breach of contract fee of 40 million yuan. This huge expenditure is no small amount for any CSL team, especially under the current tight economic environment in Chinese football.
This thorny issue not only affects the team's daily operations but also seriously hinders the preparations for the new season, especially in terms of transfer planning. To avoid further passivity, the club has taken a series of measures to deal with this situation. First, they made a key decision: to take back Choi Kang-hee's transfer rights and firmly grasp the decision-making power for new season transfers in the hands of the club.
More importantly, Shandong media reported that the club is actively promoting the return of veteran Su Maozhen. It is reported that Su Maozhen has successfully passed the interview with the vice president of Shandong, and both sides are in-depth discussions about specific details. As a symbol of Shandong football, Su Maozhen's return will not only bring professional technical guidance to the team but also inject new vitality into the team in the current difficulties. The transfer power of the team is likely to fall into the hands of Su Maozhen in the future, which also shows the full trust of the club in him.
In terms of transfer work, even during this transition period, the team is still actively operating. According to reports from Turkish media STAR, Shandong Luneng has locked in their first transfer target during the off-season: 32-year-old Cameroonian forward Aboubakar. This center-forward born in 1992 has played for many famous clubs in Europe, including Ligue 1's Valenciennes and Lorient, Primeira Liga's Porto, and Süper Lig's Besiktas. At the peak of his career, his value reached as high as 18 million euros, and he has won several important championships at the club level, including two Primeira Liga titles, a Super Cup, and a Portuguese Cup.
Since 2010, Aboubakar has been representing the Cameroon national team, accumulating rich international match experience. Although his value has now dropped to 2 million euros due to age and injuries, considering the overall level of the CSL, his strength is still very considerable. Currently, he plays for Hatayspor in the Süper Lig, and his contract will expire in June 2025. This means that although Shandong Luneng needs to introduce him through a transfer, since the contract is about to expire, the transfer fee should not be too high.
Although Aboubakar's performance in the Süper Lig is not outstanding, combined with the characteristics and actual situation of the CSL, he is likely to perform well in the Chinese arena. Especially if he can form good cooperation with the existing forward Crespo, it will greatly enhance the team's attacking power.
At this point, Shandong Luneng can be said to be at a critical turning point. Although the 2024 season's results were not satisfactory, by actively adjusting the management structure, introducing experienced management talents, and precise operations in the transfer market, the team is clearly working hard to return to the top ranks of Chinese football. In the coming season, whether Shandong Luneng can overcome difficulties and regain its former glory will become one of the most watched topics in the Chinese football world.