Park Gets 1-Year Deal With Monaco
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Attacker Park Chu-young has been awarded a one-year extension with AS Monaco.
The French outfit announced on its official Web site Wednesday (KST) that the 24-year-old was signed to an extension that locks up the Korean footballer until June 30, 2013. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Park, a former FC Seoul player, came to Monaco in September 2008 on a $2.94 million transfer deal and initially signed a four-year deal that would have expired in 2012.
French media reported the deal ahead of an official announcement, but it was initially denied by Park's agency.
In his first year with Monaco, the Daegu native had a good season, starting 31 matches and notching five goals and as many assists for the seven-time Ligue 1 champion.
After the 2008-09 season, he reportedly received a few offers from other teams, but chose to stay with Monaco.
Park, the K-League rookie of the year in 2005, has performed well this season, appearing in eight matches where he netted two goals ― one each against league powerhouses Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain ― and added two assists, putting pressure on his club to sign him to a long-term deal.
Park has also been a valued member of the South Korean national team. He played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and has 13 goals in 38 international caps.
Monaco, now headed by manager Guy Lacombe of France, has won two in a row and sits fourth on 18 points from six wins against four losses in the league table behind Olympique Lyonnais, Montpellier HSC and FCG Bordeaux.
Park is expected to start against US Boulogne CO on Sunday morning.