Beijing, June 5(Sinosoc) -- Chinese player Zhang Xiaobin has signed a two and a half year contract with Melbourne side Kingston City FC after struggling to hold down a first-team place at the New Zealand Knights in the Hyundai A-League.

Zhang explained what had persuaded him to join the Aussies: "From the first contact it was clear to me that the club really wanted me to come and play for them and this really made me feel wanted. Also, the club is very ambitious and I felt that my natural game would fit very well into their attacking style of play. Although it's one step down from the A-League, I’m confident that the club has the potential and the resources to get there and I will do everything I can to help them."

After Zhang's experience in New Zealand Kingston offer an opportunity for the player to get his career back on track. Zhang Xiaobin came to England as a 16 year old, on his own, with no family or friends and without speaking the language. Despite these obstacles he did very well and won two Under 23 caps for China at the age of 18.

Although Stockport wanted to offer Xiaobin professional terms, work-permit restrictions prohibited this and forced him to look abroad. Before joining the Knights Zhang had trials with Feyenoord feeder club KVC Westerlo in Belgium, but this was cut short through injury. There was subsequent interest from PSV Eindhoven and Red Star Belgrade but it was the New Zealand Knights who made the first firm offer. Unfortunately the move to New Zealand disappointed, with Zhang starting just two games with ten appearances from the bench, and scoring one goal.

Prosporta's Nigel Empson, Zhang's agent, feels the move to Kingston gives Zhang an excellent opportunity to get his career back on track. He explains: "The Knights struggled from the first game and were forced to adopt a very defensive approach. Naturally, as an attacking player, this restricted Xiaobin's first-team chances. Here things are different - Kingston play an attacking game ideally suited to Xiaobin, and they're second in the League: I am extremely confident that he will get regular first-team games and the chance to play for an ambitious and supportive club."

The contract is for two and a half years and includes a clause that would allow Zhang to move on if a bigger club came in for him. However, as he explained, he is not thinking of the next move and is totally committed to making his stay with Kingston a success: "My ambitions are to return to Europe and to play for China. Having said that Kingston have given me a great opportunity and I intend to take it and repay them. I know that the key to my future success is to do well for Kingston – to score goals and to win things, and that is what I'm focusing on. If I do that, everything else will follow in its own time."