Zhang Yuan (footballer, born 1997)

Zhang Yuan
张源
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-01-28) 28 January 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Shangqiu, Henan, China
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Beijing Guoan
Number 21
Youth career
Dalian Shide
2013–2015 Dalian Aerbin
2013–2015 → Mafra (loan)
2015–2016 Loures
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Loures 4 (0)
2017–2019 Tianjin Quanjian 11 (0)
2018 → Guizhou Hengfeng (loan) 11 (0)
2020–2023 Shenzhen FC 69 (5)
2023– Beijing Guoan 23 (1)
International career‡
2015–2016 China U-19 25 (1)
2017–2018 China U-23 11 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 September 2018
In this Chinese name, the family name is Zhang.

Zhang Yuan (simplified Chinese: 张源; traditional Chinese: 張源; pinyin: Zhāng Yuán; born 28 January 1997) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan.

Club career

Early career

Zhang Yuan joined Dalian Aerbin's youth academy in 2013 after Dalian Shide dissolved. He was loaned to Portuguese side Mafra in the summer of 2013 and joined Loures in 2015. Zhang was promoted to Loures's first team squad in July 2016. He made his senior debut on 4 December 2016 in a 2–0 away win over Atlético CP, coming on as a substitute for Ivo Miranda in the 80th minute.[1] He played four league matches for Loures in the 2016–17 season.

Tianjin Quanjian and loan spell

Zhang transferred to Chinese Super League side Tianjin Quanjian in July 2017.[2] On 10 September 2017, he made his debut for Tianjin Quanjian in a 3–1 home win over Guizhou Hengfeng Zhicheng, coming on for Wang Yongpo in the 76th minute when Tianjin was leading 3–0.[3]

On 26 February 2018, Zhang was loaned to fellow Super League side Guizhou Hengfeng for one season.[4] On 11 March 2018, he made his debut for the club in a 3–2 home defeat against Hebei China Fortune, replacing Min Junlin in the 88th minute.[5] On 25 April 2018, he scored his first senior goal in a 2–1 away win over Heilongjiang Lava Spring in the 4th round of 2018 Chinese FA Cup.[6]

Shenzhen FC

In July 2020, Zhang was one of eight former Tianjin Tianhai players to sign with Shenzhen FC after the former club disbanded.[7] He would go on to make his debut on 26 July 2020 in a league game against Guangzhou R&F in a 3-0 victory.[8] His first Shenzhen and Super League goal – a 90th minute game-winning goal – came on 18 July 2021 in a 2–1 victory against Cangzhou Mighty Lions.[9]

Zhang stayed at Shenzhen for three and a half seasons. In his last match for the team on 22 July 2023 against Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, he captained the team and led the team to a 3–3 draw. Reports indicate that Shenzhen had not paid its players their wages for over 15 months, and players received only a half-month's worth of wages ahead of the Tianjin game.[10] Zhang Yuan's contract was terminated in July 2023 after mediation, and he left the club with 76 appearances, in which he scored 5 goals and assisted 4 times.[11] Shenzhen FC disbanded in January 2024, citing financial insolvency.[12]

Beijing Guoan

On 30 July 2023, Zhang joined fellow Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan.[13] Zhang had said that it was his dream to play for a major club like Guoan.[14] He made his debut for the club on 9 August 2023, coming on as an substitute in a 0-0 away game against Tianjin Jinmen Tiger. However, Zhang failed to obtain a starting position during his first season at Guoan as the team had a number of talent in midfield, making only 2 appearances in the second half of the season.[15]

Zhang's squad status was elevated in the 2024 season, and he garnered his first start at Guoan in the headline match against old rivals Shanghai Shenhua on 4 April 2024, playing 79 minutes before being replaced in the 1–1 draw.[16] His fortune turned again on 30 April, he was sent off after just 19 minutes, again in an away game at Tianjin. Fortunately, a second-half goal by teammate Cao Yongjing still ensured 10-men Guoan obtain a victory. [17] On 17 May 2024, Zhang gave away a penalty in the 96th minute in an away game against Changchun Yatai which resulted in a 2–3 Guoan defeat, and he received widespread criticism from fans.[18][19] Zhang's redemption moment came when he replaced Li Ke in a 2–0 home win again against Tianjin on 21 July 2024 and scored his first goal for the club in the 98th minute of the game.[20] In the post-game interview, he described the goal as giving him a "new start [and a] new life."[21]

Career statistics

As of 2 November 2024.[22][23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Loures 2016–17 Campeonato de Portugal 4 0 0 0 – – 4 0
Tianjin Quanjian 2017 Chinese Super League 6 0 0 0 – – 6 0
2019 5 0 2 0 – – 7 0
Total 11 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Guizhou Hengfeng (loan) 2018 Chinese Super League 11 0 2 1 – – 13 1
Shenzhen 2020 15 0 1 0 – – 16 0
2021 16 2 4 0 – – 20 2
2022 23 1 1 0 – – 24 1
2023 15 2 1 0 – – 16 2
Total 69 5 7 0 0 0 0 0 76 5
Beijing Guoan 2023 Chinese Super League 2 0 1 0 – – 3 0
2024 21 1 2 0 – – 23 1
Total 23 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 26 1
Career total 118 6 14 1 0 0 0 0 132 7

References

  1. ^ "Atlético CP 0-2 Loures". zerozero.pt (in Portuguese). 4 December 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  2. ^ "权健官方宣布留葡小将加盟 曾是国青10号核心". Sina (in Chinese). 17 July 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  3. ^ "中超-帕托破僵莫德斯特传射 权健主场3-1胜恒丰". Sina (in Chinese). 10 September 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  4. ^ "贵州宣布租借权健U23". sina (in Chinese). 26 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  5. ^ "中超-拉维奇双响+绝杀 华夏补时9分钟3-2险胜恒丰". sina (in Chinese). 11 March 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  6. ^ "足协杯-唐鑫张源破门 贵州恒丰客场2-1黑龙江". sina (in Chinese). 25 April 2018. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  7. ^ "8 former players of disbanded Tianjin Tianhai join Shenzhen Football Club". Xinhuanet. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
  8. ^ "SHENZHEN VS. GUANGZHOU R&F 3 - 0". soccerway.com. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
  9. ^ Lin, Benjian (19 July 2021). Zhao, Liangchen (ed.). "「中超」张源大喊："爸爸，我进球了"" [CSL – Zhang Yuan Shouts: "Dad, I've Scored!"]. Yangcheng Evening News via Sohu (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  10. ^ "张源：遗憾的过程满意的结果，弟兄们拼光了最后一滴血". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  11. ^ "官方：北京国安宣布张源正式加盟 将身披21号球衣". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  12. ^ "深圳队解散 又一老牌足球俱乐部退出职业联赛". finance.sina.cn. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  13. ^ "国安官方：深圳队中场张源加盟". Dongqiudi. 30 July 2023. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  14. ^ "张源：儿时就梦想加盟国安这样的老牌俱乐部 仍想为深足做点什么". new.qq.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  15. ^ "北京国安2024赛季展望：新老交替关键一年，中场大将何时上位". www.163.com. 15 December 2023. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  16. ^ "国安生涯首次首发！张源：很幸运，终于为这个新家庭出了一份力". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  17. ^ "张源：难得的机会我搞砸了，看兄弟们弥补我的错误心里很不是滋味". new.qq.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  18. ^ "亚泰绝杀！张源第96分钟送点，裁判观看VAR后判点&祖伊点射破门". new.qq.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  19. ^ "亚泰vs国安赛后球迷评分：谢晖8.9分；张源3.4分". m.dongqiudi.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  20. ^ "中超-韩佳奇屡神扑古加张源建功 国安2-0津门虎". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  21. ^ 网易 (22 July 2024). "张源：我真的很爱国安；在哪里跌倒就在哪里爬起来". www.163.com. Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  22. ^ "张源". sodasoccer.com. Retrieved 27 October 2017. Archived 2018-11-12 at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ "Yuan Zhang". zerozero.pt. Retrieved 27 October 2017.