By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
Despite prolonged efforts, K-League stars Lee Keun-ho and Cho Won-hee have failed to find new clubs in football's promised land.
Former Daegu FC forward Lee and Suwon BlueWings midfielder Cho have been seeking a transfers to Europe since last year ― but to no avail.
English Premier League (EPL) outfit Blackburn Rovers were reported to have expressed an interest in the South Korea international Lee, who became a free agent in December, and offered him a trial, but Lee declined, saying the English side is not high-ranked in the league and he doesn't want to end up warming the bench.
He said he wants a club where he can be an immediate starter, but a string of K-league clubs are still trying to persuade Lee to stay in Korea.
``Lee's agent is abroad. If he comes back, we can have a conversation with him," Choi Jong-joon, Daegu FC's general manager, told The Korea Times.
``We can guarantee him the same conditions as that of European teams,'' another Daegu FC official said.
Despite the tempting offer, Lee still has his hopes set on playing in Europe.
``I'm searching through many options, nothing is decided yet," Lee said Friday on his arrival back from the national team's World Cup qualifier against Iran.
Lee scored 13 goals, the fifth best in the league, and contributed six assists in 32 appearances last season with Daegu, which ranked 11th in the 14-team league standings.
The 23-year-old is also a key player for the Korea, scoring the winning goal against Saudi Arabia in November in another World Cup qualifier.
``I'd like to get him. We have some money to offer," Jeonbuk Motors manager Choi kang-hee said.
So how much is he worth?
Some agents say he could fetch about two billion won ($1.3 million) in the open market, while others say that figure is too expensive amid the economic downturn. Some Daegu FC fans even accused Lee of chasing money on the club's official Web site.
Cho, meanwhile, was in talks with AS Monaco, where his compatriot Park chu-young has been plying his trade since September 2008.
Cho, 25, spent last winter at the Principality club on trial, and the French league side showed an interest in signing him.
But the non-European limitation regulation forced a re-think because they already have four non-European players, the maximum quota.
The BlueWings remain hopeful they can hang on to their protege.
``There's no one like Cho. It's time to call him," BlueWings manager Cha Bum-kun told Korean reporters Tuesday in Los Angeles, where the BlueWings are set to take part in the Pan-Pacific Championship, scheduled from Wednesday to Saturday.