AFC Asian Cup: 26-man Chinese squad unveiled; Son Heung-min headlines ROK side

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) unveiled the squad lists for this month's Asian Cup on Thursday, with one change to China's 26-player roster.

Compared to China's squad list for a training camp last December, midfielder Li Ke of Beijing Guoan has been replaced by Xu Xin of Shanghai Port.

China coach Aleksandar Jankovic has called up a full-strength team, including Wu Lei, Wu Xi and Wei Shihao.

China, who have been drawn into Group A along with Tajikistan, Lebanon and hosts Qatar, are set to play their opening match against Tajikistan on January 13.

Team China:

Goalkeepers: Liu Dianzuo (Wuhan Three Towns), Yan Junling (Shanghai Port), Wang Dalei (Shandong Taishan), Jian Tao (Chengdu Rongcheng)

Defenders: Jiang Guangtai (Shanghai Port), Zhang Linpeng (Shanghai Port), Zhu Chenjie (Shanghai Shenhua), Jiang Shenglong (Shanghai Shenhua), Liu Yang (Shandong Taishan), Li Lei (Beijing Guoan), Wu Shaocong (Genclerbirligi Spor Kulubu /TUR), Xu Haofeng (Shenzhen FC)

Midfielders: Wu Xi (Shanghai Shenhua), Xie Pengfei (Wuhan Three Towns), Liu Binbin (Shandong Taishan), Wang Shangyuan (Henan FC), Gao Tianyi (Beijing Guoan), Xu Xin (Shanghai Port), Dai Weijun (Shanghai Shenhua), Lin Liangming (Dalian Professional), Wang Qiuming (Tianjin Jinmen Tiger)

Forwards: Wu Lei (Shanghai Port), Wei Shihao (Wuhan Three Towns), Chen Pu (Shandong Taishan), Tan Long (Changchun Yatai), Zhang Yuning (Beijing Guoan)

The Japanese squad includes Brighton and Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma, Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu, Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo and Real Sociedad playmaker Takefusa Kubo, although 2022 FIFA World Cup stars Ao Tanaka and Daichi Kamada are not part of it.

Team Japan: 

Goalkeepers: Daiya Maekawa (Vissel Kobe), Zion Suzuki (Sint-Truiden/BEL), Taishi Brandon Nozawa (FC Tokyo)

Defenders: Shogo Taniguchi (Al Rayyan/QAT), Ko Itakura (Borussia Monchengladbach/GER), Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Gent/BEL), Yuta Nakayama (Huddersfield Town/ENG), Koki Machida (Union SG/BEL), Seiya Maikuma (Cerezo Osaka), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal/ENG), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart/GER), Yukinari Sugawara (AZ Alkmaar/NLD)

Midfielders: Wataru Endo (Liverpool/ENG), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting Lisbon/PRT), Ritsu Doan (Freiburg/GER), Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito (Reims/FRA), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad/ESP), Takumi Minamino (Monaco/MCO), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton/ENG), Reo Hatate (Celtic/SCO), Kaishu Sano (Kashima Antlers)

Forwards: Takuma Asano (Bochum/GER), Daizen Maeda (Celtic/SCO), Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord/NLD), Mao Hosoya (Kashiwa Reysol)

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min will captain the Republic of Korea squad, including Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and 22-year-old Paris Saint-Germain attacking midfielder Lee Kang-in.

Team Republic of Korea:

Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Al Shabab/KSA), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Song Bum-keun (Shonan Bellmare/JPN)

Defenders: Kim Young-gwon (Ulsan), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich/GER), Jung Seung-hyun (Ulsan), Kim Ju-sung (FC Seoul), Kim Ji-soo (Brentford/ENG), Seol Young-woo (Ulsan), Kim Tae-hwan (Ulsan), Lee Ki-je (Suwon), Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk)

Midfielders: Park Yong-woo (Al Ain/UAE), Hwang In-beom (Red Star Belgrade/SRB), Hong Hyun-seok (Gent/BEL), Lee Soon-min (Gwangju), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz/GER), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Son Heung-min (Tottenham/ENG), Jeong Woo-yeong (Stuttgart/GER), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves/ENG), Moon Seon-min (Jeonbuk), Park Jin-seop (Jeonbuk), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic/SCO)

Forwards: Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland/DEN), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Celtic/SCO)

(With input from Xinhua)