Bargain of the summer? What Arsenal fans can actually expect from Park Chu-Young
Football Spy has signed up some of the web's top foreign football experts to provide you with first-hand information on the latest Premier League transfer targets. Here's French football expert Andrew Gibney on Arsenal target Park Chu-Young...
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The sleepy region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais awoke on Saturday morning to rumours of Lille’s favourite Belgian son Eden Hazard apparently turning up in London for a medical. Was the move to Arsenal finally on? Quickly these rumours were dashed when Hazard’s teammate Aurelian Chedjou posted a picture on twitter of Hazard and himself posing in the LOSC changing room after a morning training session.
All was well with the French Champions….or so they thought. Lille officials were shocked when they sent a car to a hotel in the city centre to collect South Korean international Park Chu-Young and take him to the Luchin training centre for a medical and to possibly sign a contract. On arrival at the hotel it was discovered that Park had left. Where was he? En route to Arsenal!
Arsenal close to completing £10m capture of South Korea captain
From right under Lille’s nose Arsenal could be about to pick up one of the best bargains of the summer. Currently contracted to the recently relegated AS Monaco the deal Lille had apparently agree was for €3m up-front and an extra €2m if Park does not have to leave to serve National Service back in Korea in two years time.
Last season Park scored 12 goals in Ligue 1 and was one of a few stand-out players in a very poor Monaco side. The issue of National Service, Monaco’s position in Ligue 2 and Park’s desire to play in a top team have brought the fee right down and makes the forward quite an excellent bargain.
Park Chu-Young, 26, joined Monaco back in 2008. After playing in the Beijing Olympics he signed on the September 1. Only twelve days later he scored his first goal and set up another for Frédéric Nimani as Monaco won 2-0 and Park was named Man of the Match.
Signed from FC Seoul after scoring 23 goals in 69 games, Park has quickly become one of the most celebrated players in his country. Bursting onto the scene as an unknown 19-year old his fantastic performances led Korea to the 2004 AFC Youth Championship for the 11th time. He was voted the tournament’s MVP and picked up the Golden Ball Award.
The country's hysteria with Park grew even further when he was voted Asian Young Footballer of the Year after an impressive run of games against China, Ukraine, Algeria and Japan in an eight-team tournament played in Qatar. His nine goals in four games for the U-20 side led them to victory.
It’s no surprise that in the years that followed he has risen through the ranks of the national team. Scoring goals for the U-20s, U-23s and then eventually making his full national team debut in 2005. Disappointingly he only played once in the 2006 World Cup although he did pick up the Man of the Match award for his 63 minute performance against Switzerland.
Once the big move to Europe finally materialised it didn’t take him long to impress the Monegasques fans and he quickly became a favourite throughout Ligue 1. Starting as a wide player he was able to show his ability with the ball at his feet. Quick along the ground, with great balance and little moments that show the skill he possessed with the ball at his feet.
Many strikers came and left the Stade Louis II but Park remained. With five goals in his first season and eight in his second it was easy to see his style suiting the league and the South Korean was beginning to flourish. When the 2010/11 season came around Park was Monaco’s leading front-man and he began to show his aerial presence as a lone striker.
His impressive leap and strong physique make him a dangerous aerial presence. Adept from dead-ball situations even though Monaco were relegated, Park impressed and managed to find the net twelve times last season.
Ever since Park made the move west his abilities have grown and grown with every season, but unfortunately the AS Monaco team was going in the other direction. Long gone are the Didier Deschamps days when the club made the Champions League final. Since Park’s arrival he has played under three different managers in only three seasons.
Years of bad leadership at the top and poor management at the club has led to their demise. Relegated to Ligue 2 last season this was not the time for a player with the talents of Park Chu-Young to be playing second tier football.
After missing out of the 2011 Asian Cup through injury, a season in Ligue 2 could have seen him fall off the radar altogether, so a move to the high-profile English Premier League could be exactly what he needs to keep his career on track.
Already a superstar in his own country the nation of South Korea will be delighted to see Park join one of the most popular leagues in the world. It will be very interesting to see where Arsenal go for their pre-season tour next year...
South Korea anyone?
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