Zhao Jianbo was selected by the Wanda Group youth player project, and gained a chance to train with Spanish club Villarreal CF in 2013.[1][2] On his return to China he would join Wanda Group owned Dalian Yifang's youth team.[3] With them he would win the under-19 championship title in 2018.[4] He would go on to be promoted to the senior team in the 2020 Chinese Super League campaign. He made his professional debut on 25 August 2020 in a league game against Guangzhou Evergrande that ended in a 2-2 draw.[5] He would go on to score his first goal on 14 December 2022 in a league game against Wuhan Three Towns F.C. in a 2-1 defeat.[6]