Too good to refuse ... Griffiths joins the list of Aussies abroad again(Getty)
Sydney FC's attacking stocks have taken a hit with Joel Griffiths exiting the club after sealing a lucrative two-year deal with an as yet unnamed Chinese club.
Griffiths joined the Sky Blues late last year and scored three times in eight games after three years in the Chinese Super League with Beijing Guoan and then Shanghai Shenhua.
Sydney chief executive Tony Pignata confirmed Griffiths's departure with the 33-year-old already bidding farewell to his Sydney FC team-mates.
“Disappointed is a nice word to use to be honest,” Pignata told 2MM radio program Soccer Stoppage Time.
“Unfortunately he got a really good offer and good luck to the lad. It’s a good deal for him but we’ll just go out and get another striker."
Sydney FC recently signed Young Socceroos forward Corey Gameiro and extended the loan of Yairo Yau for another campaign. It also has Joel Chianese, Blake Powell and Mitch Mallia to complement marquee man Alessandro Del Piero.
However, the loss of 33-year-old Griffiths will see Sydney dip back into the transfer market.
"He said to me, 'Tony, there's no way I can knock an offer like this back at my age'. And we're not going to stand in his way," Pignata said.
"So good luck to Joel and hopefully things work out. If they don't, the door's always open.
"We're off overseas. Who knows who we can bring back?"
In other player news, Socceroos midfielder Terry Antonis's deal with Parma is in doubt despite having signed with the Serie A side.
Complications have stalled the injured Sydney FC star's transfer and appears likely to stay put at Allianz Stadium in the short term.
Sydney continues its pre-season campaign on Tuesday night with a trial game against Sydney University at Macquarie University Sports Fields before it faces Macarthur Rams on Wednesday 31 July.
Then the squad departs for Italy on 2 August for a five game three-week European tour.
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