Celtic FC confirms Shen Mengyu and Shen Menglu exits | OneFootball

Celtic FC confirmed today that both Shen Mengyu and Shen Menglu have now left Celtic FC Women after the expiry of their contracts. Both Chinese players leave Celtic having written their names into the history books and with their own collection of winners medals…

Both the midfielder and wingback both played an important role in Elena Sadiku’s title-winning squad last campaign and Fran Alonso’s side that won the Women’s Scottish Cup the previous season. And Shen Mengyu also scored in the Scottish Cup Final the previous year meaning she leaves Celtic with one League Cup medal, two Scottish Cups and an SWPL1 winners medal.

Shen

Menglu

Before these triumphs Celtic Football Club have never won the Women’s Scottish Cup or the league title and had not won the League Cup for a decade.

Shen Mengyu was a historic signing as she became the first-ever Chinese women’s footballer in the UK when she put pen to paper for the Celts in 2021. She helped the team win their first cup double when they secured the league cup and the Women’s Scottish Cup in 21/22. She also played an important role in the squad that retained the Scottish Cup for a second consecutive season.

Shen

Her performances at Celtic have also earned her recognised by the international coach as Shen was included in the final 23-player squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup. She made her senior international debut against Denmark in the group stage. Although failing to score during the tournament, she would go on to bag her first goal for her country later that year against Uzbekistan.

In total, Shen made 83 league appearances for Celtic, with 27 goal contributions across those games.

Shen

She’s a player who a few supporters, myself included, recognised as an important part of the squad in the business end of last season. She was putting in good performances regularly but with visa restrictions a factor the time in Scotland was always going to be limited. Elena Sadiku may well have already sourced a replacement by signing Shannon McGregor from Hibs, and we can only trust the boss.

Menglu

Shen Menglu departs Celtic FC Women after a two-season stint at the club. Making her debut on the opening day of the 2022/23 season, Menglu went on to have success with Celtic, leaving the club having helped them secure both the Women’s Scottish Cup and the SWPL league title.

Menglu joined Celtic in 2022 after struggling to make a name for herself in Portugal, having played there for a year prior. Her luck turned in Scotland though as on her debut on the opening day of the season against Hamilton Accies, Menglu scored her first goal for the club. She ends her Celtic career with eight goals in 54 league appearances.

Menglu

Despite not going on the incredible goalscoring run she may have dreamed of, she has still made a significant impact for both Fran Alonso and latterly Elena Sadiku. Statistics only tell one side of the story, but she has helped us out on many occasions, including on the final day of the season when she was involved in getting the ball to Amy Gallacher so that she could score that historic, iconic title-winning goal.

And Lu has even had the chance to represent her national team whilst at Celtic. Having first been called up to the senior team in early 2023, she had to withdraw due to injury. She was controversially left out of the final squad for the 2023 Women’s World Cup but eventually went on to make her debut for the senior side in October 2023 against Thailand.

Menglu

Menglu has popped up when we’ve desperately needed her and has always fought for the shirt. Wherever she goes next, there’s no doubt that she’ll really kick on.

Best of luck and thanks for everything Shen and Menglu, you’ve both been an asset to Celtic FC Women and have written your names into Celtic FC Women history as Scottish Cup winners and Scottish Champions!

Remember Ghirls, YNWA!

Jessica Elliott

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