Socceroos legend Tim Cahill has had his contract with Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua terminated.

The news comes despite Cahill signing an extension to his contract just last November.

Cahill revealed the news in an Instagram post, saying he had been told by the club’s new head coach Gregorio Manzano he was not part of the Spaniard’s future plans.

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“This is very sad especially after what I feel I have helped to build in Shanghai Shenhua on and off the park,” Cahill said on his Instagram account.

“Just thinking about saying goodbye to my team-mates and especially the amazing fans is heartbreaking.

“Regardless of whether my contract is being honoured and paid out in full, I would much rather have seen it out and finished what we started.

“I will always think about what could have been for us as a club in 2016. I will be able to share more information in the next 48 hours once the final details have been completed.”

Cahill had originally agreed to play on for one more season after signing a contract extension just three months ago, after reports started circulating that the club was keen to off-load the Socceroos forward.

But a mid-season upsurge in form last year eventually led to him signing an extension to his deal.

The Chinese Super League has hit the headlines in world football in recent days with the mega-bucks signings of Chelsea midfielder Ramires, Liverpool target and Shakhtar playmaker Alex Teixeira and Atletico Madrid forward Jackson Martinez.

Over the years, Cahill has been linked with a move to the A-League, with both Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers reported as clubs interested in his services.

Cahill is Australia’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 45 goals in 88 appearances for the Socceroos.

His big break in club football came at Millwall, before enjoying eight years at Premier League club Everton.

His spell with the Toffees was followed by three years with New York Red Bulls in the MLS, before joining Shanghai Shenhua in 2015.