Zhang Aokai (Chinese: 张奥凯; pinyin: Zhāng Àokǎi; Mandarin pronunciation: [ʈʂáŋ âʊ kʰàɪ]; born 18 February 2000), original name Zhang OK (Chinese: 张OK),[1] is a Chinese footballer who plays for China League Two side Jiangxi Dark Horse Junior, on loan from Shijiazhuang Ever Bright.[2]
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Zhang Aokai | ||
Date of birth | (2000-02-18) 18 February 2000 (age 22) | ||
Place of birth | Xianyang, Shaanxi, China | ||
Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Left winger | ||
Club information | |||
Current team |
Jiangxi Dark Horse Junior (on loan from Cangzhou Mighty Lions) | ||
Youth career | |||
2010–2012 | Shaanxi Daqin | ||
2012–2017 | Guangzhou Evergrande | ||
2017–2019 | Espanyol | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2016 | Guangzhou Evergrande | 1 | (0) |
2019–2020 | Espanyol B | 0 | (0) |
2019–2020 | → Horta (loan) | 2 | (0) |
2020 | → Cangzhou Mighty Lions (loan) | 0 | (0) |
2021- | Cangzhou Mighty Lions | 0 | (0) |
2022- | → Yichun Grand Tiger (loan) | 0 | (0) |
National team | |||
2015 | China U17 | 7 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:00, 5 May 2022 (UTC) |
Zhang Aokai joined Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande's youth academy from China League Two club Shaanxi Daqin in 2012.[3] He was promoted to Guangzhou's first team squad by manager Luiz Felipe Scolari in July 2016.[4] Zhang made his senior debut on 30 October 2016 in a 4–0 home win against Shandong Luneng, coming on for Zheng Zhi in the 85th minute and taking over the captaincy for the rest of the match,[5] making him the first player born in the new millennium to make an appearance in any of the Chinese professional leagues.[6]
Zhang was excluded from Guangzhou's first team squad for the 2017 season. He left the club and underwent a trial with La Liga side Espanyol in the summer of 2017.[7] He signed a professional contract with Espanyol and joined Juvenil A team on 19 July 2018.[2] On 26 September 2019 Espanyol confirmed, that Aokai had joined UA Horta on loan for the rest of the season.[8]
Zhang Aokai's original name was Zhang OK; however, his given name violated the Name Registration Ordinance of the People's Republic of China; and thus, he could not apply for an identification card. Zhang's father changed his given name to Aokai, which shares a similar pronunciation with OK.[1]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Guangzhou Evergrande | 2016 | Chinese Super League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 0[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Horta (loan) | 2019–20 | Tercera División | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | |||
Career total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Guangzhou Evergrande
Cangzhou Mighty Lions F.C. – current squad | |
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