Yaw Yeboah completes free transfer to Chinese Super League club

After four years in Major League Soccer, former Ghana national team winger Yaw Yeboah will play in China after completing a move to Chinese Super League club Qingdao Hainiu.

What a way to score your first goal in Black & Gold 👏

Yaw Yeboah makes it four. https://t.co/sQXU9OM4Bc pic.twitter.com/Ch8ACM3qx1

— LAFC (@LAFC) May 15, 2025

The 28-year-old Accra native was released by Los Angeles FC following the conclusion of the 2025 season, paving the way for his latest move on a free transfer. He left the United States having produced 6 goals and 12 assists in 97 appearances over four seasons with Columbus Crew and LAFC.

An acclaimed youth player, Yeboah won the award for Man of the Tournament at the 2015 African U-20 Championship (now known as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations) as Ghana finished third. He went on to score two goals at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup and also starred for the West African nation at the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

His exploits in 2015 drew the attention of Manchester City, who signed the precocious talent from the Right to Dream Academy. Following loan moves with the likes of French club Lille, Dutch side Twente and Spain’s Real Oviedo, Yeboah moved to Spain on a permanent basis with Numancia ahead of the 2018-19 season.

The best seasons of his club career came with Polish club Wisla Krakow, where he showed glimpses of the talent displayed in 2015 and earned his first three appearances with the Ghana senior national team.

😳😳😳 Co tu się wydarzyło?!

Na karuzelę zaprasza Yaw Yeboah! 👏#GKŁWIS 1:3 pic.twitter.com/scAvdrshUS

— PKO BP Ekstraklasa (@_Ekstraklasa_) August 21, 2021

Columbus Crew bought the talented winger in 2022 but after a strong 2023 campaign in MLS, his playing time decreased until joining LAFC. During this period, Yeboah was converted into a wing-back with mixed results.

But now an opportunity awaits where Yeboah can be the star player on a club that struggled last season. Qingdao narrowly avoided relegation last season and are preparing for the upcoming Chinese Super League campaign, which will begin on March 6.

Yaw Yeboah joins Qingdao Hainiu F.C. after four-year MLS spell

After four seasons in Major League Soccer, former Ghana international Yaw Yeboah has completed a move to Chinese Super League side Qingdao Hainiu F.C., marking a new chapter in a career that has taken him across Europe and North America.

The 28-year-old winger joins Qingdao on a free transfer after being released by Los Angeles FC at the end of the 2025 MLS season. Yeboah leaves the United States with respectable numbers, having scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 97 appearances across spells with Columbus Crew and LAFC.

With the Chinese Super League season set to begin on March 6, Yeboah now faces a fresh challenge in Asia, where Qingdao will be aiming to improve significantly on last season’s campaign.

Yaw Yeboah’s MLS journey before Qingdao move

Yaw Yeboah arrived in MLS in 2022 when Columbus Crew secured his services. The Ghanaian winger quickly impressed with his pace, direct dribbling and creativity in wide areas. His most productive campaign came in 2023, when he played a key role in Columbus’ attacking setup.

However, playing time became less consistent in the following seasons. After joining LAFC, Yeboah experienced a tactical adjustment as he was occasionally deployed as a wing-back rather than an out-and-out winger. While he showed versatility and defensive work rate, the positional change produced mixed results.

Despite limited minutes toward the end of his MLS stint, Yeboah remained a technically gifted and experienced wide player capable of influencing matches in transition.

Yaw Yeboah’s rise from youth sensation to global journeyman

Long before his MLS days, Yeboah was regarded as one of Ghana’s brightest prospects. He made his mark at the 2015 African U-20 Championship — now known as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations — where he won the Man of the Tournament award as Ghana finished third.

Later that year, he scored twice at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, further enhancing his reputation. His standout performances attracted the attention of Manchester City F.C., who signed him from Ghana’s famed Right to Dream Academy.

Though he never made a senior appearance for Manchester City, Yeboah gained valuable experience through loan spells at Lille OSC, FC Twente and Real Oviedo. He later secured a permanent move to CD Numancia ahead of the 2018-19 season.

His most consistent club performances arguably came with Wisła Kraków in Poland. There, Yeboah rediscovered the form that had once marked him as a rising star and earned his first three caps for the Ghana senior national team.