Li Ke under quarantine after return to Beijing

BEIJING - Chinese national team midfielder Li Ke is being placed under quarantine after flying back to China for the start of 2022 Chinese Super League campaign.

The midfielder, also known as Nico Yennaris, returned to China on Saturday from England where he underwent an ankle operation last season and had since stayed there for rehabilitation.

"Day two in quarantine. Wi-Fi keeps cutting out," he wrote on social media on Sunday.

Li, who made only three appearances for Beijing Guoan last season, will have to work hard to get a position in the Beijing side which has been reinforced by some new signings.

Beijing Guoan recently announced that they had signed Nigerian striker Samuel Adegbenro, Croatian forward Marko Dabro, South Korean defender Kang Sang-woo and Bosnian defender Samir Memisevic.

The Beijing club's general manager Li Ming said earlier this month that they already had a well-equipped squad and he was not sure if Li would be included in the team list for the first half of this season's Chinese Super League campaign.

"Li Ke will return to China in April, but I cannot guarantee he will be on the list for the first half of the season," he said.

Li is expected to join up with the Beijing side in early May as he has to serve out a mandatory quarantine after landing in China.

The kickoff date of the 2022 Chinese Super League season remains undecided.