Shanghai Shenhua striker Qu Shengqing has joined Australian Hyundai A-League side Adelaide United on loan.

Qu, who was close to joining former China boss Arie Haan at Sydney FC, signed a one-year deal with the South Australia side on Saturday.

Adelaide originally wanted the 29-year-old striker on a free loan, but after negotiations with Shenhua agreed to pay the CSL club AU$30,000 (approx. RMB0.2m).

According to Shanghai Shenhua vice general manager Dai Chunhua, "Shenhua refused a free loan transfer because Shenhua is a professional football club. The player's value should be respected. But in order not to create any problems for Qu, we finally agreed to accept a very low amount of money for his loan move to Adelaide.

"Shenhua want him to have the chance to continue playing professional football and maintain his level of form. He could return to Shenhua at some point in the future."

Qu Shengqing was Jia A top scorer in 1999 when Liaoning finished runners-up to Shandong Luneng in their first top-flight season, then made a high-profile move to Shenhua in 2000. But he has failed to make any lasting impact at the club, playing second fiddle to Saul Martinez and Zhang Yuning over the past two seasons before being transfer-listed in January this year.

The Australian season starts on 26 August and runs until 4 March 2006.

(Sinosoc.com March 14, 2005)