On 31 January 2014, he transferred to J2 League side Kataller Toyama,[2] which made him the third Chinese footballer to play in the Japanese professional leagues after Jia Xiuquan and Xu Xiaofei.[3] He made his debut for the club on 26 March 2014 in a 2–1 lost against Yokohama FC, becoming the youngest footballer ever to play for Kataller Toyama at 18-years old.[4] He scored his first goal for the club on 29 April 2014 in a 3–2 win against Matsumoto Yamaga, making him the youngest goalscorer in the club's history at 18 years, 8 months and 8 days.[5]
Avispa Fukuoka
On 13 January 2015, Gao transferred to fellow J2 League side, Avispa Fukuoka after Kataller Toyama was relegated to the J3 League during the 2014 season. He made his debut for the club on 1 April 2015 in a 2–2 draw against Yokohoma FC.
On 25 February 2016, Gao was loaned out to fellow top tier side Hebei China Fortune until 31 January 2017.[7] He made his debut for the club on 4 March 2016 in a 2–1 win against Guangzhou R&F, coming on as a substitute for Dong Xuesheng.[8]
Hebei China Fortune
In February 2017, Gao permanently transferred to the club after rejecting an offer from Romania Liga I side, CFR Cluj.[9]
Guangzhou Evergrande
On 2 February 2019, Gao transferred to fellow top tier side Guangzhou Evergrande.[10] He would make his debut for the club in a league game against Tianjin Tianhai on 1 March 2019 in a 3–0 victory.[11] Throughout the season he would go on to establish himself as a vital member within the team and go on to win the 2019 Chinese Super League title with the club.[12]
Wuhan Three Towns
On 28 April 2022, Gao signed with newly promoted top tier side Wuhan Three Towns.[13] He would go on to make his debut on 12 August 2022, in a league game against Beijing Guoan, which ended in a 5–1 victory.[14] After the game he would go on to establish himself as a regular within the team that won the 2022 Chinese Super League title.[15]
Shandong Taishan
On 25 January 2024, Gao returned to his former club Shandong Taishan (formerly named Shandong Luneng). [16] On 20 February, he scored his first goal for Shandong in a 4-2 away win against Japanese club Kawasaki Frontale in the second leg of 2023–24 AFC Champions League Round of 16, which saw the team qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time in 8 years.