Li Ke

Li Ke (Chinese: 李可; pinyin: Li Ke; born Nicholas Harry Yennaris, 24 May 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Beijing Guoan and the China national team. He began his career in the academy at Premier League club Arsenal and came to prominence in the Football League with Brentford.

Li has been described as a "rugged, all action defensive player, with a positive, winning mentality" and won 10 caps for England between U17 and U19 level. He was born to a Chinese mother and a Greek-Cypriot father in England and was eligible to represent all three countries at international level. After joining Beijing Guoan in 2019, he was naturalised as a Chinese citizen and took the name Li Ke. He made his senior international debut for China in late 2019.

Club Career

Arsenal

Early career

Yennaris joined the Arsenal Academy in May 2001 at age seven and progressed through the ranks. He began his career as a forward and was moved back into a central midfield position, before being moved to full back. Injuries in 2008 halted his progress and the club were planning to release him just weeks before he signed two-year scholarship deal in 2009. Yennaris won his first silverware with the club when he captained the U18 side to the 2009–10 Premier Academy League title. Yennaris signed his first professional contract in July 2010, but missed much of the 2010–11 season with a long-standing ankle problem.

Professional debut (2011–2014)

Yennaris received his first call up to the senior squad for a League Cup third round tie versus Shrewsbury Town on 29 September 2011 and was an unused substitute during the 3–1 win. His first team debut came on 25 October 2011 in the following round versus Bolton Wanderers, playing the full 90 minutes of the 2–1 win. After signing a new contract, Yennaris made his first FA Cup appearance on 9 January 2012, coming on as a 33rd-minute substitute for the injured Francis C

This page also has a version in other languages :  Николас Йеннарис (russian)