Rumors have emerged that Shanghai Greenland Shenhua could release the 2016 Chinese Super League top goalscorer Demba Ba next season as the team has been thriving without him in the second half of China's top-flight league.

The 31-year-old Senegalese striker went down with a fractured tibia and fibula after a clash with Shanghai SIPG defender Sun Xiang during a derby in July.

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Shenhua went on to win the game 2-1 despite Ba's injury and a red card for defender Bo Jiajun late in the game.

The win came at a cost as the former Chelsea standout was ruled out for the rest of the season because of his leg injury.

Ba was the CSL's leading scorer at the time of his injury with 14 goals in 18 appearances. Some football analysts had predicted that the Flower of Shanghai would struggle in their next games with Ba sidelined.

However, as ESPN pointed out, Ba's injury may be the best thing that happened to Shenhua this season as the team had been unbeaten in seven of their eight matches without the French-born Senegalese, lifting them to the third spot of the current league table.

At their current position, the team is on their way to an AFC Champions League appearance next season.

ESPN explained that "removing Ba from the equation has forced Shenhua to play better football" as head coach Gregorio Manzano's side has now unleashed the real potential of the team's talented midfielders, headed by team captain Giovanni Moreno and compatriot Fredy Guarin.

Manzano had said in the wake of Ba's injury that it was a potential "career-ending" setback, although the striker vowed that he will not retire and will return to play for Shenhua before the 2017 season starts, Goal reported.

Still, questions linger about whether Shenhua will need Ba back as the team may have found something special in his absence.

TagsChina Football, Chinese Super League, Chinese Super League rumors