European clubs seeking talented Asians

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Manchester United has a not-so-secret weapon to win over fans in its preseason tour of Asia, the continent's star Park Ji-sung.

The South Korean star's exploits have not only made him a household name to football fans, they have helped strengthen the Premier League champion's status as the most popular club in Asia.

Not all stars from the east are as successful as Park, or play for such a prestigious club, but that doesn't stop many European clubs searching for the holy grail - an Asian player who can make a valuable contribution on the field, and make a commercial impact off it.

It is the big clubs that benefit most from signing Asian players. On the back of Park, Manchester United has seen Koreans snap up 1.2 million club credit cards and there are an estimated six million United fans on the Peninsula, south of the 38th Parallel.

When news emerged of the three-time European champion's plans to play a friendly at Seoul, some 20,000 tickets were sold within the first hour and 44,000 more quickly followed.

Scottish powerhouse Celtic recouped much of the 2.5 million pounds ($4.1 million) spent on Shunsuke Nakamura through owning the Japanese star's image rights and watching its profile soar in Japan.

Perhaps the hottest Asian property is a player tipped to follow in Park's footsteps to PSV Eindhoven. South Korea's Ki Sung-yong, 20, is already an established international and is being tracked by clubs all over Europe.

Dubbed "Korea's Gerrard," Ki's progress has been monitored by European sides FC Porto and Hamburg, and last week Dutch giant PSV Eindhoven was linked to the tall midfield man.

Seoul media reported that Ki's agent was about to start talks with the 1988 European champion, although Ki claimed that there was no basis to the story.

"I don't know anything about any transfer," he said. "There are lots of stories around, but at the moment I am just focused on FC Seoul and doing my best for them."

Ki has made it clear that he wants to play in England and it is only a matter of time before he does so. Young, good-looking and extremely talented, he has the potential to be a huge star.

So too does FC Seoul and South Korea teammate Lee Chung-yong. The right-sided midfielder has attracted interest from Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic among a host of English clubs.

Farther east, Japan also has a wealth of young talent, but Shinji Kagawa has been getting more attention than most. And like his famous compatriot Shunsuke Nakamura, who has just signed for Espanyol, Kagawa could be heading to Spain.

Still only 20, he has made eight appearances for Japan, prompting Barcelona and Real Madrid to extend invitations for him to travel to Spain and practice.

"The Spanish league is my favorite. The attacking mentality suits my style," Kagawa said recently. "My dream is to play in the Champions League one day, so this is a great opportunity."

Just like FC Seoul, Kagawa's club has pledged to support him if the right deal comes along.

"We will definitely consider any offers that we believe will benefit him," Cerezo Osaka president Nobuyoshi Fujita said. "It is a dream of his to play overseas. He has our full support."

Whatever happens with the Spanish giants, other La Liga clubs are also reportedly interested in making serious offers for Kagawa.

Middle Eastern players are much less likely to move to Europe. With lucrative, and often tax-free, contracts on offer in the oil-rich Gulf States, most players are happy to stay at home.

The notable move from the area so far this year so far is that of Iraqi midfielder Nashat Akram, who has left Qatar to join Dutch club FC Twente. United Arab Emirates forward Ismail Matar is also keen to move west.

The 2003 World Youth Championship Golden Ball winner is highly rated all over Asia and is starting to get itchy feet playing for Dubai club Al Wahda.

A short loan to Qatar's Al-Sadd recently had the 25 year-old Matar, who was given a number of camels after scoring the winning goal for UAE in the 2007 Gulf Cup final, dreaming of a big move.

"Playing for Al Sadd is a new experience for me because I have never played for any other clubs outside the UAE," he said. "I must be thankful for my club for releasing me and I hope this will be a big step forward to fulfill my childhood ambitions of playing in Europe."

Saudi Arabian forays into Europe have usually ended in tears, literally if reports regarding Yasser Al Qahtani are to be believed.

The nation's star player had a trial at Manchester City late in 2007, but English newspaper The Daily Mirror claimed the 2007 Asian player of the year burst into tears after receiving some treatment from the club's defenders.

Whatever the truth, Al Qahtani's successor in the national team is young striking sensation Naif Hazazi. The 20 year-old scored two vital goals in the final round of qualification for the 2010 World Cup away in Iran and at home to UAE. He also scored the goal that clinched the Saudi domestic title for Jeddah giant Al-Ittihad

He has told local media that he wants a European move and has had offers.