FC Bayern have signed Chinese goalkeeper Liu Shaoziyang for their youth team.

The 18-year-old Chinese footballer from partner club FC Wuhan Three Towns signed a contract on Thursday with the German giants until June 2025.

The 1.90-meter-tall Liu is currently living at the FC Bayern campus, training with Bayern's U-19 side and occasionally with the reserve team in Sabener Strasse.

"It's a great honor that one of the biggest clubs in the world has given me this once-in-a-lifetime chance. FC Bayern has many fans in my homeland. I'm incredibly proud and happy," said Liu, who is already working with goalkeeping coach Tom Starke and taking regular German lessons.

FC Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn hailed Liu's transfer as a result of the relationship between Bayern and Wuhan. "We're delighted to have signed our first player from partner club Wuhan Three Towns. This transfer is an advert for our network in China, which we have built up over recent years together with our staff at our office in Shanghai, as well as our partners across the region," said Kahn.

Jochen Sauer, head of FC Bayern's youth team, said he sees Liu as a player with great potential. "Liu has been training with us as a trialist at the FC Bayern campus for a while now and he's progressed very well. We see further potential in him, which is why we've completed this signing and are pleased to be able to present the first Chinese player for FC Bayern," said Sauer.

"Congrats young man! Looking forward to chatting with you in Sabener Strasse," Bayern forward Thomas Muller wrote via Weibo.

Liu received a pair of shoes as a gift from Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

"Neuer has always been the best goalkeeper. Standing behind him, I feel I am just one step away from my idol Neuer, which is so exciting. I can clearly hear instructions from Neuer and his talk with teammates at a stadium, which is not fully packed due to the COVID-19 pandemic," Liu said in an interview with Bayern recently.

"In future, I hope I can play in as many games as possible. Currently, my main goal is to train hard and prepare for the future," he added.

"I hope my son could achieve success after steady progress," said Liu's mother.

As the first young footballer jointly trained by FC Bayern and Wuhan Three Towns, Liu has been training and living at the Bayern Youth Training Base in Munich for 11 months.

A review of Liu's football career:

In 2014, Liu was enrolled into the Wuhan Three Towns youth training camp.

In 2016 Liu went to Spain's Barcelona as part of the Wuhan club's overseas education plan.

In 2017, Liu was selected for the Chinese U-14 National Team for the first time.

In 2018, Liu was selected for the Chinese U-15 National Team.

In 2019, Liu became a member of the Chinese Football Team A. Later, he played for Chinese U-16 National Team and secured a 5-0 victory over Team Russia during the "Huashan Cup" International Football Championship, also known as the eighth Chinese-Russian Youth Games.

Liu, who was training in Barcelona, was invited to visit Germany for a trial.

In 2020, Liu began training with the Wuhan Three Towns first team.

In January 2021, Liu became the first footballer jointly trained by both FC Bayern and the Wuhan Three Towns. In August, Liu took part in the pre-season training camp of the FC Bayern youth team.

On December 16, 2021, Liu officially became a member of the FC Bayern youth team.

(With input from Xinhua)