Lee Chun-soo |
Speculation is brewing that South Korean striker Lee Chun-soo of Ulsan Tigers will play for Chelsea in the English Premier League (EPL).
According to the Sports Chosun, a local sports newspaper, talks on Lee's transfer to the prestigious English side are underway and surprisingly, Samsung is their key sponsor.
A well-informed person on Samsung said to the daily, ``Samsung is negotiating with Chelsea on Lee. Samsung has earned much marketing profit in Europe after a sponsorship with the team but in Korea, it is behind Manchester United for which midfielder Park Ji-sung plays.''
He added: ``After searching for a competitive Korean player for the Premier League team, we hit on Lee.''
Samsung and Chelsea reached a five-year 50 million pound agreement in 2005.
It was confirmed that Samsung had questioned the Korea Football Association (KFA) and the football governing body recommended the 25-year-old forward.
In addition, Ulsan's parent Hyundai Heavy Industries whose biggest share holder is KFA president Chung Mong-joon, is supporting Lee's move.
Meanwhile, Lee's transfer to Fulham seems dim.
Last April the English side was reported to strive to recruit Lee, the 2005 K- League most valuable player.
When LG Electronics signed a three-year sponsorship with last season's 16th placed team, both sides were said to have agreed to take Lee to England but this turned out to be groundless.
Their desire to have a South Korean play in the league was made verbally but no concrete evidence exists.
The chance for his transfer to the two consecutive time Premier League champion is thought to be 50-50.
Samsung plans to appeal to Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on Lee's talent, not with the sponsorship.
Last April when Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon visited Korea to celebrate the launch of the team's Korean Web site, he said, ``Our policy is to make a team with talented players all over the world. Asia is no exception.
``Within three or four years, we expect Korean players to be recruited.''
However, the Korean conglomerate hopes that next season a South Korean will run on the ground in a Samsung logo embedded Chelsea uniform, to hold back the stronghold of Manchester United in terms of marketing. Samsung seems resolute in its effort to expedite Lee's transfer.
That's why the company is not pushing any player from its football squad, the Suwon BlueWings.
Lee, who joined the Primera Liga in 2003 with Real Sociedad and played for two season before his return to Korea in 2005, is estimated to be the most competent player in the K-League.
He scored a brilliant game-tying goal from a free kick in the first qualifier against Togo at the 2006 World Cup in Germany to draw European scouts' interests.
Although conceding the league title to Manchester, the London-based team, which topped the league in the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons, won the FA Cup and Carling Cup.
Meanwhile, another local media outlet reported that the Ulsan Tigers are taking a cautious attitude on Lee's move.
A person for the team said, ``We haven't heard anything about it.''
``Why don't we know that Samsung is trying to transfer a Hyundai player,'' he questioned.
He added: ``Chelsea and Hyundai Heavy Industries have not sent us any bulletin or direction. We will just wait because it is a matter between the two.''
Post time 17-6-2007 05:29 PM
