Cao Xuan (; born July 2, 1985) is a Chinese footballer.
Club career Cao Xuan originally started his football career with the Dalian Shide F.C. youth team. In 2000, he moved to Zhejiang so he could join and play for the Zhejiang Lücheng youth team. With them he graduated to the senior team and started his professional football career at the bottom the Chinese league system. After several seasons with the club he was promoted to the Chinese Super League after seeing Zhejiang Lücheng come second in the second tier. He was a vital member of the team as it established itself as mid-table regulars for several seasons until the 2009 Chinese Super League saw the club struggle within the league. This saw Chinese international Du Wei brought in the following season to strengthen the team's defense and Cao was dropped as a squad regular. When Du Wei left, Cao re-established himself as a vital member of the team's defence.
On 5 January 2016, Cao transferred to his hometown club Dalian Yifang in the China League One.大连一方宣布斯塔勒留任 曹轩领4内援2外援加盟 at sports.sohu.com 2016-01-05 Retrieved 2016-01-05 He was excluded from the team squad in the 2017 season under manager Juan Ramón López Caro. Cao joined fellow League One side Shijiazhuang Ever Bright on 26 January 2018.永昌官宣五将加盟：黑山外援亮相 绿城功勋来投 at sports.sina.com.cn 2018-01-26 Retrieved 2018-01-26 In the following 2019 league season he helped the team win promotion back into the top tier.
Career statistics Statistics accurate as of match played 31 December 2020.曹轩 at sodasoccer.com. Retrieved 2015-11-01 + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsHangzhou Greentown2004China League One10000--100200513020--150200618161--2422007Chinese Super League260---2602008210---2102009170---1702010130---13020111100020-130201216220--182201329411--305201421000--210201526000--260 Total221711220002349Dalian Yifang2016China League One23200--23220170010--10 Total232100000242Shijiazhuang Ever Bright2018China League One25100--25120193000--302020Chinese Super League14000--140 Total421000000421 Career total28610122200030012
Honours Club Dalian Yifang China League One: 2017
References
External links Player profile at sodasoccer.com Player stats at sohu.com