‘Surprising transfer possibility’ Seongnam FC Kim Ji-soo counts down to EPL Brentford

Under-20 (U-20) soccer team defender Kim Ji-soo (Seongnam FC) received a recruitment offer from Brentford of the English Premier League (EPL).

According to the football world on the 15th, Brandford recently made an official offer to Seongnam to recruit Kim Ji-soo. Brentford offered Seongnam a transfer fee that met Kim Ji-soo’s buyout amount of 700,000 dollars (approximately 930 million won).

In response,스포츠토토 an official from Seongnam said, “It is true that Kim Ji-soo received an offer,” and said, “It is a situation where you have to send it if you are presented with more than the buyout amount.” In addition, Brentford is known to have included a cell-on clause that returns part of the transfer fee to Seongnam if Kim Ji-soo transfers to another club in the future. 

Kim Ji-soo, born in 2004, is considered a promising Korean defensive player. He joined Seongnam FC as a semi-professional last season and played 19 K-League 1 games. This season, when Seongnam FC was relegated to K-League 2, he signed an official professional contract and played in one game. 

Boasting a sturdy physique with a height of 192 cm and a weight of 84 kg, Kim Ji-soo is evaluated for his excellent soccer sense. He is currently selected for the U-20 national team led by coach Kim Eun-joong and is preparing for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 

Even if Kim Ji-su moves to Brentford through the transfer market this summer, it seems difficult to step on the EPL stage right away. Since he has not yet played for the A team, it is difficult for him to obtain a work permit (work visa) in the UK. 

It is similar to the case of Jeong Sang-bin (Minnesota United), who transferred to EPL Wolverhampton in January last year. Jeong Sang-bin, who played one game in A match, left on loan to Grasshopper, Switzerland as soon as he moved to Wolverhampton, and moved to Minnesota, USA in March. Kim Ji-soo is also in a situation where he has to solve the work permit problem.