Tang Jiali: Tottenham sign China striker on season-loan

Tang Jiali (R) of China shoots during the Women's Olympic Football Tournament 2020 Qualifiers match between China and Chinese Taipei in Sydney, Australia, on Feb 10, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese women's national team member Tang Jiali will join English Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur F.C., the Shanghai Women's Football Club announced on Wednesday.

Tang, a 26-year-old powerful striker, lost the chance to play the Tokyo Olympics after failing to recuperate in time from a knee injury.

"Tang will feel pain when she uses her left leg. Now she has returned to Shanghai for treatment," said Tang Dingjian, the national team doctor. "She needs a month to recover, but her future career will not be affected."

Tang played a vital role in China's aggregate win against South Korea in the Olympic qualification playoffs. She was also among the 10 candidates of the Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) Best Women's Player in 2020 award.

Tang is another Chinese women's football national team member to play abroad after Wang Shuang served for French league side Paris Saint-Germain.