Dalian Shide club footballer Quan Lei, also a member of China's Olympic team, was seriously injured in a knife attack near his home by two unidentified assailants on October 5, and was out of danger after eight hours of surgery in hospital, the West China Metropolis Daily reported Sunday.

A journalist with a local Dalian newspaper, who lives on the upper floor of Quan Lei's apartment building, witnessed the crime. According to him, two were waiting for some time in a red sports car parked in the residential community where Quan lived, and jumped out and attacked him with knives as the footballer was getting out of his car after arriving home from training.

Quan Lei kicks the ball during a football match in this undated photo.

Quan tried running to the building entrance after he was first stabbed, but didn't make it and fell over as his assailants repeatedly stabbed him. If Quan had not shouted for help and drawn attention from passersby, his attackers likely would have continued.

The 17-year-old footballer was immediately sent to the Dalian No. 3 People's Hospital, where he was operated on and put under intensive care. He turned in stable condition thanks to prompt medical treatment.

The anonymous eyewitness believed the two criminals were hired hitmen, as they were very cruel and didn't take money from Quan.

A source at the hospital told journalists that Quan was stabbed more than ten times, and several of them were almost lethal. Quan is a left-footed player, and his assailants stabbed him several times in his left leg.

"There were two potentially fatal stab wounds. One was to the right side of his chest, and the other is in the thigh, which cut a main artery," the hospital source said.

Quan was one of the key players on Dalian Shide and the national Olympic team, but the injury has ended his tour with this year's Super League, and has deprived him of his chance of taking part in the Olympic team collective training session in 2008.

Lin Lefeng, general manager of the Shide Football Club, made an official announcement after consulting with police on October 7, saying the club was greatly startled by the incident, and they hoped Quan would recover and came back to the team soon.

Lin said the club would cover all of Quan's medical treatment bills.

An insider has rejected claims that the attacks were the result of gambling or a soured love affair. Although there were always rumors of gambling surrounding the football club, Quan's teammate also denied this as a possible motive for the attack.

The local police station has organized a special group to search for suspects.

A hospital representative told the media that although Quan was in bad condition, he could still return to the green pitch if he recovers well.