Lee Young-pyo, right, of Borussia Dortmund is considering a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. English Premier League (EPL) footballer Seol Ki-hyeon was on loan to the Saudi outfit for the past six months. / Korea Times File
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By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
Dortmund Borussia defender Lee Young-pyo is considering a move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, Lee's agent confirmed Monday.
``It is true that we received an offer from Al-Hilal, but Lee has not yet decided on the issue. He is still considering it,'' Lee's agent said. ``We are also talking with a few European clubs, but Lee will not move to another club in Germany.''
Al-Hilal is a well-known Saudi club, where Fulham midfielder Seol Ki-hyeon played for six months last season. The Riyadh-based team has won 11 league titles and been runner-up 10 times.
``Lee is open to any possibility. He wants a club which will guarantee him playing time,'' the agent added.
It was also reported in the British media that Lee is set for a move to the Middle East nation.
``If a deal materializes, Lee will sign a one-year deal worth 1 million euros (1.8 billion won), with an option to extend for another 12 months if he impresses the Riyadh club,'' Sky Sports reported Sunday.
It was also reported that Al-Hilal's new coach Eric Gerets is keen on the 32-year-old.
The native of Hongchun, Gangwon Province, joined the Dortmund from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur last year. Lee performed well in 15 consecutive appearances in league and cup matches, but was then sidelined after suffering a foot injury.
Lee debuted in the K-League with Anyang Cheetahs _ a predecessor of FC Seoul _ in 2000, and played for the club until 2002. He received plenty of attention for his speed and dribbling skills during the 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup and later moved to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, following former national team manager Guus Hiddink.
Lee is also one of seven Korean players to earn 100 caps for the national team. He joined the century club in a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in November 2008, and has now played a total of 106 matches for Korea, scoring five goals.
shosta@koreatimes.co.kr
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