Midfielder Zheng Zhi, born on 20 August 1980 in China, currently dons the number 10 jersey for Guangzhou. Standing at 5ft 11in (1.82m) tall and weighing 11st 6lb (73kg), the 44-year-old plays his preferred role as a central midfielder.
Zhi's professional football career began in January 2001 when he joined Shenzhen FC in the Chinese League One. In his first season, he made 23 first-team appearances and netted three goals. His tenure at Shenzhen was marked by consistent performances, demonstrated by him making numerous appearances and scoring a decent number of goals each season.
In January 2005, Zhi headed for a new challenge, transferring to Shandong Taishan in the Chinese Super League. He enjoyed a fruitful couple of seasons at Shandong, especially during the 2006 season where he scored an impressive 21 goals over 26 matches.
With the dawn of December 2006, Zhi made the significant leap to European football, initially joining Charlton Athletic in the English League One on a loan deal. In August 2007, the move to Charlton Athletic became permanent for a transfer fee of approximately £2m. His stint at Charlton saw him rack up a considerable number of appearances and continue his goal scoring habit, albeit at a slower pace compared to his electric form at Shandong.
The Scottish Premiership beckoned for Zhi in September 2009, when he moved from Charlton Athletic to Celtic. Zhi's time at Celtic would be remembered for his reliability in the center of the park, making 16 first team appearances and scoring one goal in the 2009 - 2010 season.
After one season with the Hoops, Zhi decided to return to his homeland in June 2010, moving to Guangzhou in the Chinese League One.
