Brisbane Roar have dropped a bombshell on Christmas Eve with the departure of manager Ross Aloisi with strong rumours that he will take up a job in China.

Luciano Trani will take charge for the Roar’s game at Melbourne City on Thursday with the long-standing assistant named as interim coach.

Aloisi had revitalised the Roar since taking over earlier this year after joining from Kevin Muscat’s coaching staff at Yokohama F Marinos, and the pair look likely to link up again at Shanghai Port, where Muscat has recently taken over.

Despite working under challenging budgetary conditions, he has taken Brisbane to fifth in the A-League ladder.

“While we are sad to see Ross leave, we understand and respect his decision,” said Roar CEO Kaz Patafta.

“This is an opportunity that Ross wanted to take for his personal growth as a coach. We did not want him to leave at this time, but we also did not want to stand in the way of an opportunity that is rarely presented to Australian coaches.

 “With Ross’ departure, we are pleased to appoint Luciano Trani as the interim Head Coach for the rest of the season. Luciano’s vast experience in the A Leagues aligns perfectly with our club’s philosophy and goals.

“We are fully committed to supporting Luciano in continuing the positive start to this season.

“Absolutely nothing changes in terms of our goals and aspirations for this season. We are well prepared for these transitions and remain steadfast in our commitment to success.

“The club’s management and dedicated team ensure that we are always ready to adapt and maintain our competitive edge.”