Liu Shaoziyang becomes the first player to move between Bayern Munich and their Chinese partner club Wuhan Three Towns FC. - © /

bundesliga

Bayern Munich sign Chinese teenager Liu Shaoziyang

16.12.2021

Bayern Munich have signed 18-year-old Chinese goalkeeper Liu Shaoziyang on a three-and-a-half-year deal from partner club Wuhan Three Towns FC in the teenager's homeland.

Shaoziyang has been training at the FC Bayern Campus since January and impressed enough for the Bundesliga's reigning record champions to hand him a long-term deal.

He becomes the first player to move between the two clubs and the 6'2" goalie will join the youth ranks of Bayern having split his year in Bavaria so far between the Under-18 and reserve sides.

"It's a great honour that one of the biggest clubs in the world has given me this once-in-a-lifetime chance," said Shaoziyang. "FC Bayern have very many fans in my homeland. I'm incredibly proud and happy."

Bayern have built a strong foundation in China in recent years, opening a Shanghai office and operating academies in the provinces of Shandong and Guangdong, as well as teaming up with Wuhan Three Towns FC.

Club CEO Oliver Kahn, a man who knows a thing or two about the art of goalkeeping, is pleased to see Bayern's footing in China bear its first fruit.

"We're delighted to have signed our first player from partner club Wuhan Three Towns in Liu Shaoziyang," said the former Bayern and Germany 'keeper with eight Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League winners' medal to his name.

"This transfer is an advert for our network in China, which we have built up over recent years together with our staff at the office in Shanghai as well as our partners across the region."