By Yi Whan-woo

Top women’s U-20 striker Ji So-yun has taken a step toward her ambition of playing in the United States with support from her first agency, All That Sports.

The agency known for managing figure skating star Kim Yu-na inked the four-year deal with the arguably world-class attacker, Tuesday.

“We signed a contract with Ji until 2014, and will put her interests as our first priority,” the agency said.

The 19-year-old unleashed her talent at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany in July through August. The winner of the Silver Ball and the Silver Boot, awarded to the second-best player and the second-highest scorer, respectively, notched eight goals in six matches to lift South Korea into an unprecedented third place.

Ji has explicitly demonstrated her longing to advance to an overseas league to build on her talent after the tournament, especially the Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) league in the U.S.

The senior at Hanyang Women’s University has been in discussion with a few clubs from the U.S., Germany, and Japan. Among the teams, she has talked with Boston Breakers in the WPS, and FFC Turbine Potsdam of the Bundesliga, and Ji’s new agency will hold talks with the WPS side.

“The agency has confirmed the conditions suggested by Breakers, and will begin negotiations shortly,” an All That Sports official said.

All That Sports has come up with the decision to manage Ji in such a way as to support the athletes of minor sports in Korea, according the agency. It has already signed contracts with two local female figure skaters, Kwak Min-Jung and Kim Hae-jin.

“As Ji has potential to become huge in the future, we will provide the utmost supports for her to show off her talent in the next four years,” the agency said.

Ji is to play for the national team again in the upcoming Asian Games in Guangzhou, China in November.