Wolfsburg´s Zhang heads back to China

Zhang Xizhe is to return to Beijing Guoan after just half a season in the Bundesliga with Wolfsburg.

The 24-year-old arrived at the Volkswagen Arena in January, signing a contract until 2017.

However, Zhang did not make a single first-team appearance for Wolfsburg and expressed a desire to return to his homeland.

“I would like to thank VfL Wolfsburg for making my move back home a possibility,” he told the club’s website. “I have learned a lot over the past few months – and not just about football.

“For the experience which I have made and can always call upon, I am very grateful.

“I often came close to making my Bundesliga debut, but I was constantly very aware that the quality within the team and the standards in the Bundesliga are very high.

“I wish VfL all the very best for the new season.”

Sporting director Klaus Alofs added: “Xizhe developed well with us in the latter half of the previous season and made it into the squad for the last few games of the campaign based on the impressions that he made in training.

“We believe he could have notched up some regular appearances in the team, but it was his wish to return to his former club in China and hopefully use what he has learned at VfL in his bid to return to the national team.”

Zhang played in all but one of Guoan’s Chinese Super League games in 2014, scoring six goals as the capital club finished second behind Guangzhou Evergrande.