Chen Xudong left.
Their largest shareholder was Guanggu Construction Investment Co., Ltd. The company's general manager, Shen Liefeng, also served as the club's chairman, but daily operations were still handled by Chen Xudong.
But this was too big a decision for Chen Xudong to make on his own.
How much was the entire club worth? If the gamble failed, the massive deficit couldn't be covered even if they sold Chen Xudong himself.
In reality, they had other options.
In the Five Major Leagues, South America, and Africa, there were plenty of players who couldn't get any playing time.
If they weren't looking for superstars, they could find a batch of players cut from the Five Major Leagues every year—players who were starting-caliber regulars.
They were far more eager than a top star like Vieri to come play in the Chinese Super League and make some money.
