[1] He was promoted to the first team squad by André Villas-Boas in the 2017 season.
[2] On 4 March 2017, Zhang made his senior debut in a 5–1 home victory against Changchun Yatai as the benefit of the new rule of the Super League that at least one Under-23 player must in the starting.
[3] He would be used as a squad player until he would be loaned out to second-tier club Nantong Zhiyun on 16 June 2020.
[4] Zhang would return to Shanghai in the 2021 Chinese Super League campaign after his loan from Nantong.
He would go on to gain more playing time and go on to score his first goal for the club on 6 August 2021, in a league game against Dalian Professional in a 5–0 victory.