Chen Zhizhao 陈志钊

Chen Zhizhao Chinese: 陈志钊; pinyin: Chen Zhizhao; born 14 March 1988), known as Zizao in Brazil, is a Chinese footballer who currently plays for Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Super League.

Club Career

Chen Zhizhao started his football career playing for Shanghai Shenhua's youth academy; however, he was unable to break into their first team. He then transferred to Hong Kong First Division League side Citizen AA at the beginning of the 2007-08 league season where he would make his debut for the club against Lanwa Redbull in the first game of the season in a 0-0 draw. He quickly established himself within the team and would play in 13 league games and see Citizen come second within the league. Throughout the season he would also play in all of Citizen's cup games and would score his first goal against Eastern AA on 24 November 2007 in a Hong Kong Senior Shield game that Citizen lose 3-1. His following goals would come in the Hong Kong FA Cup where he scored against Eastern AA on 10 May 2008 in a semifinal game that saw them win 1-0. This was then followed by a goal in the final of the FA Cup win against Wofoo Tai Po on 18 May 2008 that saw Citizen win 2-0.

Chen moved back to mainland China and signed a five-year contract with Nanchang Hengyuan on 26 February 2009. He scored three goals as Nanchang finished second in the China League One and won promotion to the Chinese Super League for the first time. He scored ten goals and assisted eight times in thirty appearances which secured Nanchang's stay in the top flight for the next season.

Chen was linked with Liga de Honra side C.D. Trofense in January 2011. Trofense was interested with Chen, but Nanchang blocked this transfer. According to Chen's contract with the club on 26 February 2009, if a non-Chinese football club provided a bid of around €200,000 for him before 26 February 2011, then Nanchang would accept the transfer without any condition. However, Nanchang insisted that €200,000 was provided by Chen's agency instead of the Portugu