Manu Torres has played down the acrimonious departure of defender Dani Almazan and more imminent high-profile exits from Eastern, saying change is “pain in the process” of his quest to develop an all-conquering team.

Announcing his contract was not being renewed after three years at the club, popular centre-half Almazan posted on Instagram that “some people had made it their mission to break apart … a real family in the changing room”. He also omitted head coach Torres from a list of six coaches he thanked “for pushing me and helping me grow”.

Right-back Calum Hall, Manuel Bleda, the Hong Kong striker, goalkeeper Liu Fu-yuen and Wong Tsz-ho, the 32-year-old left-back who has been with Eastern for 16 years, will also be released this summer. The South China Morning Post has been told that it was a club decision to move on the players, but Torres is fully on board with the overhaul.

“It happens, sometimes you have to regenerate the group, you bring in some players and others go out,” said Torres, after his team lost an entertaining game against Tai Po 4-2 on Saturday.

“We’re planning for next season and there have to be changes, it’s very simple. Cristiano Ronaldo left Real Madrid, and Lionel Messi went from Barcelona. This is the living. It is necessary.”

Torres said he had not seen fellow Spaniard Almazan’s social media post, and he did not know whether he was the target of the player’s criticism.