| Afrden Asqer | |
| Birth Date: | 15 September 2003 |
| Birth Place: | Kashgar, Xinjiang, China |
| Height: | 1.75 m |
| Currentclub: | Wuhan Three Towns (on loan from Guangzhou FC) |
| Clubnumber: | 20 |
| Position: | Forward |
| Youthyears1: | –2017 |
| Youthclubs1: | Shaanxi Laochenggen |
| Youthyears2: | 2017 |
| Youthclubs2: | Shimizu S-Pulse |
| Youthyears3: | 2017–2018 |
| Youthclubs3: | Kashima Antlers |
| Youthyears4: | 2018–2020 |
| Youthclubs4: | Guangzhou Evergrande |
| Years1: | 2020– |
| Clubs1: | Guangzhou FC |
| Caps1: | 23 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2020 |
| Clubs2: | → China U19 (loan) |
| Caps2: | 8 |
| Goals2: | 3 |
| Years3: | 2021 |
| Clubs3: | → China U20 (loan) |
| Caps3: | 3 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2021 |
| Clubs4: | → Suzhou Dongwu (loan) |
| Caps4: | 24 |
| Goals4: | 2 |
| Years5: | 2023 |
| Clubs5: | → Mjällby AIF (loan) |
| Caps5: | 0 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2024– |
| Clubs6: | → Wuhan Three Towns (loan) |
| Caps6: | 0 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2017-2018 |
| Nationalteam1: | China U16 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 1 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2019-2023 |
| Nationalteam2: | China U20 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 10 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2023- |
| Nationalteam3: | China U23 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 14:01, 17 February 2023 (UTC) |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 14:01, 27 July 2021 (UTC) |
Afrden Asqer (; born 15 September 2003) is a Chinese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chinese Super League club Wuhan Three Towns, on loan from Guangzhou FC.
Born in Kashgar, Xinjiang, trained in Xi'an, Shaanxi, Afrden played for Shaanxi Laochenggen until 2017, when he moved to Japan to sign for Shimizu S-Pulse.[1] While in Japan, he also played for Kashima Antlers.
In 2018, he returned to China to join the youth ranks of Guangzhou.[2] Afrden went on to represent the China under-19 and under-20 teams in the China League Two in 2020 and 2021.[2] [3]
While also representing the China under-20 select in League Two, Afrden also played for Suzhou Dongwu in League One, again on loan from Guangzhou.[2]
In March 2023, Afrden signd for Allsvenskan club Mjällby AIF on loan for the 2023 season with the option to make the move permanent.[4]
Afrden's outstanding performance in the 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup captaining for China drew widespread media attention.[5] However, reports emerged that Afrden may have altered his age in the past. Accordingly, bone age reports published by the Chinese FA in 2012 showed a youth player by Afrden's same name with birthday of 2 May 2000. Bone age reports in 2014 showed another player with Afrden's name having been born on 28 January 2001. The same series of report in 2015 again showed a player with Afrden's name with a birthday of 15 September 2003.[6] The Chinese FA and Guangzhou have not, as of March 2023, responded to the allegation of age change. Afrden rejected the allegations on 11 March 2023.[7]
.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Guangzhou | 2020 | Chinese Super League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2021 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| China U19 (loan) | 2020 | China League Two | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | ||
| China U20 (loan) | 2021 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Suzhou Dongwu (loan) | 2021 | China League One | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 0 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 5 | |||