Guangzhou release injury plagued Martinez

Former Porto and Atletico Madrid star Jackson Martinez has been released by Guangzhou Evergrande after the Chinese Super League club omitted him from a 31-man squad for the new season.

Martinez joined Guangzhou for €42million – briefly a league record – in February 2016, having only moved to Atleti from Porto as one of European football's most sought-after strikers in June 2015.

But the 31-year-old Colombia international has been plagued by injuries, making a mere 16 appearances across all competitions, scoring four goals.

Guangzhou only signed one foreign player during the recent transfer window, with Serbian midfielder Nemanja Gudelj arriving as a replacement for Paulinho, who has successfully adapted to life with Barcelona.

Ricardo Goulart, Alan and Kim Young-gwon were named as the other men to fill Guangzhou's overseas quota.