Arsenal’s capture of South Korean striker Chu Young Park just before deadline day adds to the slowly growing number of South Korean players plying their trade in the Premier League. The most famous and successful of these is Manchester United’s Ji-Sung Park, but have the abilities of South Korean footballers been overlooked for far too long?
Chu Young Park signed for the Gunners from AS Monaco, arriving at the Emirates with plenty of top European league and international experience. At 26-years-old he was the ideal signing for Arsene Wenger, a natural leader as the captain of his national team, he will become Arsenal’s new number nine.
Chu joins Ji-Sung Park in the Premier League. Park joined United back in 2005 and whilst he has rarely been a regular fixture in Sir Alex Ferguson’s first team, Park’s contribution to United’s recent success should’t be underestimated. A hard working and creative midfielder, Park is also an established Premier League star who is well loved amongst fans around the country.
Apart from being two of the biggest names in South Korean football, there are many similarities between Park and Chu. Arsenal’s new signing took over the role of captain from Park when the United player retired from international football. Park established himself in European football after a very successful 2002 World Cup, from which he moved to PSV and later United.
Like Park, Chu has also established himself in European football before his big move to England, impressing during his time in Ligue 1. He made a name for himself as one of his country’s most exciting young prospects before enjoying two World Cups with South Korea in 2006 and 2010. Arsenal will desperately be hoping that Chu achieves the same success that Park has already enjoyed in England. But why has it taken so long for the Premier League to recognise the talents of South Korean footballers?
One of the many problems may be that they are rarely big name stars when they first travel to Europe, taking time to settle into a completely new style of football. But Park and Chu have both shown that playing in Europe for a few years can be of great benefit to them as footballers and clubs like Arsenal and United, who can come in to buy the players after they have properly settled.
But not being star names also has an advantage, as English teams can buy South Korean players for a reasonably cheap fee. Park joined United for a fee thought to be around £4 million whilst Chu looks to have joined Arsenal for a very cheap £3 million, a possible bargain for a striker who scored 12 goals last season despite his team’s relegation. Like Park, Chu is a hard working player who possesses intelligence and versatility to boost Arsenal’s attacking line.
But beyond Park there is a very limited supply line of South Korean players that have been a success in English football, a fact that may put off potential Premier League buyers. Lee Dong-Gook, Cho Won-Hee, Seol Ki-hyeon and Kim Do-Heon all experienced far from impressive stints in English football whilst Sunderland’s new signing Ji Dong-Won will be hoping to make more of an impact in the Premier League. Bolton’s Lee Chung-Yong is one of the major exceptions, with the midfielder having a productive impact for Bolton since he moved to England whilst Lee Young-Pyo enjoyed a reasonably successful few years with Tottenham Hotspur.
But Premier League clubs should not be put off looking further than Europe for new players. If South Korean players are given a chance to settle and establish themselves into European football first, then these often cheap acquisitions can be real successes in the Premier League. Arsenal will be hoping their new South Korean star follows the successful blueprint set out by Ji-Sung Park and Manchester United.
Written by Jenny Kerwood for FootballFancast.com. Do you think the Premier League should look at more South Korean players? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
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park is a great player for united. very hard working