Auxerre Signs Teen Prodigy Wei Xiangxin to Five-Year Deal
AJ Auxerre have nailed their colours to a bold, long-term project, tying highly rated Chinese teenager Wei Xiangxin to a five-year contract and handing him the No 49 shirt.
The 18-year-old forward, described by the club as “a great hope of Chinese football,” completed his move on Thursday, officially joining the Ligue 1 side after turning professional.
Auxerre, who finished 15th out of 18 in France’s top flight last season and only just avoided the relegation play-offs, are gambling on potential rather than proven European pedigree. Wei brings promise in abundance. For China’s under-17s he struck nine goals in just 12 appearances between 2024 and 2025, a return that has marked him out as one of the most intriguing prospects in his age group.
The transfer has been a long time coming. Back in November, Auxerre announced they had reached an agreement with Chinese Super League club Meizhou Hakka, confirming that the Guangdong-born forward would sign his first professional contract once he became an adult. The pathway was clear; Thursday simply made it official.
Auxerre have not hidden their intentions. In a statement released last year, the club pledged to build a long-term training plan around Wei’s specific characteristics and needs, banking on tailored development rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The youngster had already spent three weeks on trial with the team, giving coaches an early look at his movement, touch and mentality. Those days in training clearly convinced them there was a higher ceiling to chase.
His record in senior Chinese football is modest but valuable. Across two seasons with Meizhou, Wei scored one goal in 28 appearances spread over two different tiers, a grounding that came in difficult circumstances. Meizhou were relegated to China League One last November after winning just five of 30 matches, a brutal campaign that still saw Wei earn minutes and experience in a struggling side. He also found the net once in this year’s Chinese FA Cup.
Now comes a very different challenge. Auxerre are not signing a finished article; they are investing in a teenager who has already shown he can dominate at youth international level and survive in a relegation battle at home. For a club fighting to re-establish itself securely in Ligue 1, it is a calculated risk.
If Wei adapts quickly to the pace and physicality of French football, that risk could look very shrewd indeed.
