The U-20 World Cup, which opens on the 21st in Argentina, is called a ‘showcase’ to Europe. This is because it is a stage where big club scouts gather in one place to evaluate the skills of promising players from each country. In Korea, which dreams of reviving the glory of Poland four years ago, defender Kim Ji-soo (19, Seongnam) is attracting attention.
Kim Ji-soo, who made his debut as a high school K-League last year, is the most expected prospect to advance to Europe. Despite his tall height (192 cm), he received favorable reviews for his speed and wide field of view.
Kim Ji-soo not only excels in his ability to control the ball in the air, but also excels at interpersonal defense and passing, and is even evaluated as the ‘second Kim Min-jae’.
This is the background that Kim Ji-soo, who is in his second year as a pro, received an official offer from Bayern Munich in the German Bundesliga earlier this year, and also from Brentford in the English Premier League (EPL) this month.
An official from Seongnam FC said, “It is true that Kim Ji-soo received a transfer offer from Brandford.” It is known that Kim Ji-soo was guaranteed a buyout option of 700,000 dollars (about 900 million won) when he signed a contract with Seongnam.
Soccer experts agree that there is no need for Kim Ji-soo to make a hasty decision to transfer.
If Kim Ji-soo plays well in the U-20 World Cup, clubs with a higher name value than Brandford can reach out.
The only thing Kim Ji-soo has been verified at the European level is his participation in the All-Star Game during Tottenham Hotspur’s visit to Korea last year, so it is still too early to evaluate. However, things will change if he shows his skills in the U-20 World Cup finals.
Also, even if Kim Ji-soo decides to go to Brandpur first, his performance in the U-20 World Cup is more important. This is because it is difficult for Kim Ji-soo to obtain a work visa from the UK Labor Office right away, so it is likely that he will be re-leased to another club in Europe.
In the case of soccer players, the British Labor Office strictly considers the level of their original team and league, their team participation experience, and their national team career. A typical example is Jeong Sang-bin (Minnesota), who shook the K-League before Kim Ji-soo, moved to Wolverhampton due to a work visa problem, but left on loan to Grasshopper, Switzerland. 메이저놀이터
An agent working in Europe said, “Jeong Bin Jung has a record of playing in the second qualifying round for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but a work visa has not been issued. Kim Ji-soo, who has no national team experience, explained that it is realistic to raise the level of the stage where his re-rental is possible based on his performance in this World Cup.”
Kim Ji-soo himself has a strong will to raise his name value in his U-20 World Cup. His goal is to survive as much as possible in the tournament, surpassing competitors such as France, Gambia and Honduras, whom he meets for the first time in the group stage. Kim Ji-soo said, “I will enjoy the festival called the U-20 World Cup, a tournament that only comes once in my life, for as long as possible.”