Football
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Okazaki leaves Malaga 34 days after joining

Shinji Okazaki's spell with Spanish side Malaga has been cut short after less than four weeks.

The former Leicester City forward's contract was cancelled by mutual consent, with the club nor the player revealing the reason for parting ways.

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However, Malaga were unable to register the Japan international as it would have exceeded the team's salary cap.

Okazaki, 33, joined Malaga as a free agent on July 30 with the Andalusian club announcing it had "added a Premier League champion to its attack."

Okazaki won the Premier League with Leicester in 2016 and left this summer after scoring 19 goals in 137 games.

Malaga sporting director Jose Luis Perez Caminero said during Okazaki's unveiling in August that the player's signing was a "pure luxury for Malaga" and added that his arrival was "one of the biggest satisfactions he received since arriving to the club."

Malaga fans have expressed their anger at the club's poor management in social media and have requested compensation after spending €70 to purchase Okazaki's No. 23 jersey.

The club is reportedly considering compensating the fans, which could cost up to €21,000 given up to 300 are believed to have been sold.

Okazaki, who did not play in Malaga's three league games this season, has no hard feelings.

"I don't regret anything as the time I've spent here I will never forget it," he said on Twitter. "If one day I have the opportunity to return to Malaga, I will not hesitate."

Malaga finished bottom of La Liga in the 2017-18 campaign and were relegated after 10 consecutive seasons in the top flight.

The team finished third last season but lost a playoff to return to La Liga.

The club, owned by Qatari businessman Abdullah ben Nasser Al Thani since June 2010, has struggled with its budget and had to turn to the reserves to complete their 25-man squad.

"There has to be a better management from the owner and if he is not up to the standard, he should step aside and find someone who can manage the club," Malaga mayor Francisco de la Torre told Diario Sur.

"This is a club in an important city. There are many reasons for this [fans'] outrage. The TV rights increased but it hasn't been managed well. Moreover, they did not adjust the expenses when the team was relegated."

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