Hot Taeguk Warriors' Phones... Love Calls from Europe's Big Leagues

Jo Gyu-seong Celtic · Lee Kang-in Newcastle · Kim Min-jae Real Madrid etc.

In the second match of Group H in the 2022 Qatar World Cup between South Korea and Ghana, Jo Gyu-seong cheers after scoring the equalizing goal. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Gyehwa] At the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the South Korean national football team attracted global attention. There have been ongoing rumors about domestic players moving to Europe as well as overseas players transferring to big clubs.

◆ Scored 2 goals against Ghana to record a multi-goal... European clubs focus their attention

A representative player is Jo Gyu-seong (24, Jeonbuk Hyundai). Jo scored two goals with his head in the second match of Group H against Ghana. He became the first Korean player to record a multi-goal in a single World Cup match. He also topped the aerial duels in the group stage by winning 18 balls, drawing intense interest from European clubs.

The British media outlet Daily Mail reported on the 5th (local time) that "the club most focused on Jo Gyu-seong is the prestigious Scottish club Celtic." Celtic is the club where Ki Sung-yueng and Cha Du-ri once played. The Daily Mail stated, "Celtic may soon sign Jo Gyu-seong," adding, "Celtic needs a new striker after failing to secure a contract with their existing striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, and they are rushing to sign Jo."

Besides Celtic, Turkey's Fenerbah?e and France's Stade Rennais are also reportedly interested in Jo Gyu-seong. Turkish media Takvim reported during the tournament, "Fenerbah?e is moving to acquire Jo Gyu-seong and will soon make an official offer," and "French Ligue 1 club Stade Rennais also wants to sign him."

Fenerbah?e is a prestigious Turkish club where national team defender Kim Min-jae (26, Napoli) played for a year starting August last year. Stade Rennais is a traditional club boasting over 120 years of history.

Jo Gyu-seong himself expressed his desire to move abroad after the round of 16 match against Brazil, saying, "After competing against European and South American players, I feel even more eager to face them again."

Lee Kang-in closely following Marquinhos in the Round of 16 match between South Korea and Brazil at the 2022 Qatar World Cup held at the 974 Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Flood of love calls from English clubs

Lee Kang-in (21, Mallorca), the youngest player competing in Spain's La Liga, has also been the subject of continuous transfer rumors. At the Qatar World Cup, Lee came on as a substitute in the first group H match against Uruguay. Although he played only 15 minutes, he recorded two key passes and a 90% pass completion rate. In the second match against Ghana, he was substituted in and made an assist within one minute, showing his presence.

Spanish media Marca reported, "English Premier League (EPL) club Newcastle is interested in Lee Kang-in," adding, "Newcastle may move to bring Lee in the upcoming January transfer window. There is a possibility of a swift signing process."

Lee Kang-in transferred from Valencia to Mallorca last August. His market value is estimated at 17 million euros (approximately 23.3 billion KRW). His contract with Mallorca runs until 2025.

British outlet The Hard Tackle also reported, "Burnley, a top contender in England's second division, is interested in Lee Kang-in." The competition to sign Lee may intensify, which is why Newcastle is eager to act quickly.

The Hard Tackle stated, "Lee Kang-in's playing style, featuring excellent individual skills and the ability to escape pressure in tight spaces, resembles that of David Silva (Real Sociedad) and Bernardo Silva (Manchester City). He is a creative left-footed midfielder," adding, "Lee is only 21 years old and has the potential to grow into a key player for Newcastle in the long term."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◆ Despite a heavy defeat to Brazil, praised for 'unbelievable performance'

Key defender Kim Min-jae also raised his value by defending against world-class attackers in this tournament. Although South Korea lost 1-4 to Brazil in the round of 16, Brazilian commentators highly praised Kim Min-jae, calling his performance "unbelievable."

Kim Min-jae moved from Turkey's Fenerbah?e to Italy's Napoli this summer and, in less than six months, is receiving strong love calls from Europe's big clubs.

Spanish media Defensa Central reported, "Kim Min-jae is a target of Real Madrid and also of Manchester United and Tottenham," adding, "He could be signed for 45 million euros (approximately 61.9 billion KRW) during the 15-day summer transfer window next year."

Italian media Corriere dello Sport reported, "Kim Min-jae's buyout clause (minimum transfer fee: the amount above which the player can negotiate without the club's consent) could be as high as 85 million euros (approximately 117 billion KRW), not 50 million euros (approximately 68.7 billion KRW)," adding, "The buyout amount increases depending on the club's size."

Napoli has proposed a contract renewal to Kim Min-jae, who will join the team after the World Cup. Considering the flood of love calls will be unavoidable next summer, Napoli is expected to offer a plan to raise or remove the buyout clause in exchange for a salary increase.