September 8: After Cup Upset Exit, Shanghai Shenhua Faces Foreign Player Adjustment Rumors as Salary Limits and Competition System Become Key

On September 1, 2026, Shanghai Shenhua lost 0-1 to China League One side Dalian Yingbo in the FA Cup quarterfinals. Despite playing with an extra man for much of the match, Shenhua failed to advance. Substitute foreign player Mineiro received a straight red card for a violent foul, and four days later the Chinese Football Association issued a punishment adding a three-match suspension and a 15,000 yuan fine. Since Shenhua had already been eliminated from the FA Cup, the suspension will be served directly in Chinese Super League matches.

After the defeat, rumors quickly spread among fans that Shenhua would conduct a major clear-out of three foreign players after the season. The names of Teixeira, Manafa and Mineiro became the focus of public discussion, and some fans at league matches directly called for Teixeira to leave, pushing the former midfield core to one of the most difficult moments of his Shenhua career.

Many fans only saw the FA Cup elimination and overlooked the four-month-long developments behind the rumors.

On May 5, 2026, during Shenhua's away match against Shandong Taishan in CSL Round 11, Teixeira suddenly slowed down during an off-ball run and held the back of his thigh, indicating he could not continue. The club later announced he had suffered a hamstring injury, which directly caused him to miss the next six league matches.

During Teixeira's absence, Shenhua recorded three draws and three losses, with their win rate falling from 57% to 22%. Their overall chance-creation statistics in attack dropped by 40% compared with when he was on the pitch, leaving the attacking system stalled.

During that period, the club's public recovery updates remained vague, only saying he was 'recovering well' and 'close to returning' without providing a clear timetable. It was not until Shenhua's home match against Zhejiang on July 12 that Teixeira came on as a substitute in the 67th minute and completed his 100th official appearance for Shenhua.

After his return, new coach Milorjevic officially took charge of the team. He did not continue the wing-driven system built around Teixeira by former coach Slutsky, instead switching to a single holding midfielder formation. Tactical resources began shifting toward traditional wide midfielders such as Xie Pengfei, and Teixeira's role on the pitch changed significantly.

In the August 22 CSL match against Chengdu Rongcheng, Milorjevic made a key adjustment by moving Teixeira from his familiar wing position to the central attacking midfield role. Teixeira delivered four dangerous passes and an assist in the match, proving with his statistics that he still has the ability to connect the attack. Many fans viewed the positional change as a sign that the coaching staff was reactivating the veteran rather than marginalizing him.

The outside claim that 'the management has decided to clear out foreign players after reflection' does not really hold up under the salary rules.

In the 2026 CSL season, foreign players are subject to financial regulations limiting total annual pre-tax salaries to no more than 10 million euros and an individual player's salary to no more than 3 million euros. Shenhua's five foreign players are already close to the limit, with less than 200,000 euros of room remaining. Before the transfer window closed on August 11, Shenhua made no foreign player signings or departures.

This means that even if management truly wanted to replace Teixeira or Manafa, the club would not have enough funds to bring in players of the same level. Midfielders who fit the under-3-million-euro salary requirement and can immediately perform consistently in the CSL have already been targeted by clubs. The remaining options are either veterans whose form has clearly declined or young players who have not been tested at the top level, making it difficult to replace the organizational gap left by Teixeira's departure.

Manafa, who was included on the rumored clear-out list, is also in a situation completely different from the claim that his ability has declined.

His assist numbers have decreased this season, but relevant statistics show that he recently made seven defensive interceptions in a single match on the right side, accounting for 63% of the team's total interceptions in that area.

After taking charge, Milorjevic changed the full-back system, requiring full-backs to reduce forward runs and prioritize defensive positioning to protect space behind them. Manafa received tactical instructions from the coaching staff before matches, with his first responsibility being to hold the defensive area when teammates moved forward. This tactical adjustment was misunderstood externally as a decline in form, which does not match his actual role on the pitch.

Among the three players, Mineiro has provided the least value in terms of appearances. He has played only six matches and scored two goals this season. Long-term injuries combined with this red-card suspension have made it difficult for him to enter the coaching staff's regular starting plans.

Even so, Shenhua would find it difficult to terminate his contract midway through the season. Ending the deal early would require the club to pay a significant additional compensation fee, and under the current salary restrictions there is almost no room for such spending. Shenhua can only wait until his contract expires on December 31 before making further arrangements.

There is currently no official announcement confirming that contracts will not be renewed, and no other club has submitted formal transfer offers for these three players. All adjustments remain at the rumor stage.

The all-player competition system launched by Milorjevic after taking charge is essentially internal optimization rather than a complete rebuild. He selects lineups based on training and match performances, giving Xie Pengfei more opportunities and giving Teixeira a new position to prove himself. This approach is completely different from 'clearing out veteran foreign players.'

Mineiro will next serve his suspension in three CSL matches against Chongqing Tonglianglong, Yunnan Yukun and Wuhan Three Towns. These matches will also provide a window to test Shenhua's midfield operation.

In Shenhua's home match in CSL Round 26 in mid-September, whether Teixeira and Manafa continue to receive starting opportunities will directly reflect the coaching staff's renewal intentions.

The key moment for Shenhua to make real decisions will be the foreign player contract expiration period on December 31. Before then, any conclusion about foreign players leaving would be premature.

The real issue exposed by this Shenhua team is not 'who should leave,' but how to maintain squad depth within limited financial space under strict salary restrictions and solve the recurring problem from recent seasons where the entire attack collapses when a key player is injured.

Should the six-match absence period of Teixeira and Shenhua's sharp drop in win rate mentioned in the article be organized separately into a clear performance comparison table?