Dethroned English Premier League champions Manchester United have agreed the sale of Korean midfield dynamo Park Ji Sung to fellow English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers, it is being reported. Such were the rumors of his move to Loftus Road in West London that many betting corporations had suspended betting on his departure for 24 hours on Friday the 6th of July. It is being believed that the move is all but settled and agreed for a fee of £ 2 million and all that is holding up the move is the preparation of paper work. Park was a £ million signing for Manchester United in 2005 from Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven.
Park, who began his career in the top league as an 18 year old playing for Kyoto Purple Sanga in the J League of Japan was one of the stars of the FIFA World Cup for the Korean Republic when Japan and Korea co-hosted the tournament in 2002 when the Asian giants reached the semi finals stages under the charge of Dutchman Guus Hiddink, and when Hiddink left to join PSV in the Dutch Eredivisie, Park quickly followed, spending a total of 3 seasons with them.
If the deal goes through, it will follow up United’s decision to loan their young Brazilian defender Fabio da Silva to Loftus Road. Owner Tony Fernandez, an airline tycoon from Malaysia took over the club not even a year back and ever since he came on board, he has been making strides to establish Queens Park Rangers as one of the biggest brands of football all over the world and being from the continent itself, it is being believed that the owner’s move to land one of Asia biggest football stars is an attempt to increase the fan base of the club in the continent, known to be a football mad continent.
Park has won four English Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League title as well as the FA Carling Cup on two occasions during his stint at the Theatre of Dreams is said to be extremely impressed by the ambitious plans that Tony Fernandez has in place for the club and if they manage to pull of the marquee signing of Park, they will go a long way in cementing their position as a top club in Asia. Moreover, The Hoops will be without captain and midfielder Joey Barton after he was banned for 12 matches as a consequence of him being sent off in the final match of last season against Manchester City and Park’s signing will be particularly helpful for the side in his absence.
Park had gradually become one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s big players for big matches with his strength and stamina but had become more of a fringe player last season and with Fergie looking to rebuild the side after going trophy less last season, players were expected to leave the club to make room for new arrivals and Park might just become the first casualty.