By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Establishing a pivotal role for an overachieving team, Reading midfielder Seol Ki-hyeon replaced Manchester United's Park Ji-sung as the most impressive Korean player in the English Premiership this past season.
However, with the team looking to reshuffle its attacking unit during the off-season, it bears further watching whether Seol will continue to roam the right flank for the Royals or take his boots elsewhere.
A big change for Reading became inevitable when playmaker Steve Sidwell rejected a $33,600-per-week, four-year deal from the team. The 24-year-old, who scored four goals with six assists, chose to sign with powerhouse Chelsea, after being courted from several teams including Newcastle United, Everton, and Aston Villa.
Should Reading fail to find a suitable replacement in the transfer market, Sidwell's departure is likely to result in a bigger role for James Harper whose natural position is the central midfielder.
This could benefit Seol who found himself competing for playing time against the versatile Harper after a midseason slowdown forced him out of the starting lineup.
However, such anticipation would be rendered meaningless should Seol change uniforms for next season, which now seems a real possibility. Transfer rumors have been linking the 28-year-old winger to Middlesbrough, which is bracing for the possibilities of losing Australian striker Mark Viduka who scored 14 goals in the past season.
Should the team lose their star forward, the South Korean international could be a logical choice as insurance. Seol is comfortable on both sides of the flanks and also has experience of playing striker, giving more options for Middlesbrough skipper Gareth Southgate in finding an attacking partner for Yakubu Ayegbini.
Reading might also feel that it could afford to lose Seol, with the emergence of its 23-year-old American Bobby Convey, who showed flashes of brilliance in limited playing time last season.
Seol, a South Korean international, finished his first Premiership season with four goals and four assists in 27 games, establishing himself as an integral part of Reading's attack despite his playing time diminishing as the season went on.
Seol underwent ankle surgery in London Tuesday and will need six to eight weeks for recovery. This sidelines him for Korea's friendly against the Netherlands next month and could lead him to miss this summer's Asian Cup.
Seol said he struggled with continuous pain in the ankle throughout the Premiership season but chose to push back the injury until the off-season.
``The surgery was successful and we are expecting a full recovery. However, there are no promises for the Asian Cup,'' said Ryu Taek-hyung of Seol's agency GSEN INC.
Seol joins a growing casualty list of Korean players in the English Premier League.
Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung underwent knee surgery in the United States last month, while Tottenham Hotspur defender Lee Young-pyo also had surgery after sustaining knee ligament damage in a UEFA Cup match.