Christian Bassogog On The Brink Of Relegation From The CSL With Shanghai Shenhua

Christian Bassogog’s Shanghai Shenhua FC., one of China’s oldest professional soccer clubs, has become the latest Chinese Super League team reach near – extinction as they are under the weight of enormous financial losses.

The team where indomitable Lions winger Christian Bassogog plays, are currently covered in debts of over 1 billion Yuan (+130 million €). If the club does not settle its debts by the end of the week, they will no longer play in the Chinese Super League.

Chinese media outlets have announced that the club is on the verge of disbanding, if huge debts are not covered.

The near-demise of another major Chinese team, which follows the collapse of others like Jiangsu F.C., underlines the dire financial situation facing the CSL, which just a few years ago had ambitions to become the world’s top soccer league outside Europe.

CSL clubs — many lacking established fan bases but flush with cash from wealthy corporate owners — paid astronomical sums to lure elite players and coaches during the late 2010s, with Drogba, Oscar, Hulk, Carlos Tevez, Marek Hamsik, and most recently, stars like Bassogog among others to relocate to China during the boom.

But the COVID-19 pandemic and the Chinese real estate crisis sent the CSL spiraling into a debt crunch, as many of the clubs’ backers came under financial pressure. Around three-quarters of CSL clubs are owned by companies linked to the real estate sector.

Christian Bassogog signed for Shenhua from Henan Jianye in the summer of 2021 for five seasons. He has scored five goals and dished out four assists in 21 games this season.

The winger will be hoping that this doesn’t turn into a sour tale, just like how other great clubs came tumbling down the hill.