Centerback Kim Ji-soo (19, Seongnam FC), born in 2004, entered the English Premier League (EPL) countdown.
On the 14th, Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin, owner of Seongnam FC, announced on social media (SNS) that “Kim Ji-soo will leave for a transfer to the Brentford club next week.” It is the so-called ‘club owner official (owner + official)’. It is unusual for the owner to directly announce the transfer of a player.
The announcement of owner Shin Sang-jin came right after the transfer-related conversation with Kim Ji-soo that day. Kim Ji-soo met the new owner as soon as he returned home after finishing the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The player side explained the future procedures if the negotiations between the clubs were completed, but the new owner first announced the fact of Kim Ji-soo’s departure on the premise that the negotiations were completed.메이저사이트
According to the club, Kim Ji-soo’s departure schedule is undecided. Negotiations are still ongoing, with club lawyers reviewing documents. However, since Brentford proposed a buyout (amount allowed for transfer), the club cannot refuse the transfer. As soon as the documents are reviewed, the departure schedule will be set. As a result, he will leave the country next week as announced by the owner.
Brentford already pushed for the recruitment of Kim Ji-soo last month. A club official also said, “I received an official letter from the Brentford club related to the transfer, and the transfer fee is an amount that meets the buyout included in the contract.” The buyout was reported at $700,000 (900 million won). At the time, Kim Ji-soo was leaving for the U-20 World Cup, so the negotiations did not progress. After the tournament, he started riding in earnest. Rather than persuading Kim Ji-soo, the club also decided to help the transfer in a grand way. It is said that Seongnam coach Lee Ki-hyung also agreed to the transfer instead of persuading Kim Ji-soo for the development of Korean football.
It is known that the work permit issue for entering the EPL has also been resolved. Recently, the work permit regulations have been changed, and the Korea Football Association and the Professional Football Federation also contributed by sending letters of recommendation in the names of the president and the president, respectively. If the work permit problem could not be resolved, he had no choice but to sign a contract with Brentford and transfer to a small and medium European league, but now it is possible to enter the EPL immediately.
Unless a sudden big variable occurs, Kim Ji-soo will sign a contract with Brentford. He is the 16th EPL player ever for a Korean player and the 7th case to go directly from the K League to the EPL. It is the second time for a teenage player to enter the EPL after Jeong Sang-bin (Minnesota United). However, Jung Sang-bin moved from Suwon Samsung to Wolverhampton and immediately moved to Minnesota through a lease at Grasshopper (Switzerland). If Kim Ji-soo participates in an EPL game, he will become the first teenager.
Kim Ji-soo, who has a physique of 1m92cm · 83kg, made his professional debut through his club’s first semi-professional contract while at Seongnam U-18 team Poongsaeng High School. At the age of 17 years, 4 months and 20 days last year, he even set the record for the youngest ever debut in K-League 1. Although he has no A national team career and is only in his second year of professional debut, his potential appears to have been highly regarded. Recently, he participated in all matches at the U-20 World Cup and showed his presence by playing an active role as a key player in the semifinals of Kim Eun-joong. If Kim Ji-soo enters the EPL, Korean soccer will have another big league center back after Kim Min-jae.