By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
Just months after joining the Chunnam Dragons on loan from Dutch club Feyenoord, it appears that forward Lee Chun-soo is on the move again.
It has been reported that Feyenoord is in transfer talks with several clubs from the Middle East and Germany for the former national team striker.
A few Bundesliga clubs, as well as Al Nasr SC of the United Arab Emirates and a Saudi Arabian club are reportedly interested, with the asking price expected to be between 500,000-700,000 euros (900 million to 1.2 billion won or $704,000 to $986,000).
Chunnam signed a one-year deal with Feyenoord for Lee in February and the team says they expect him to remain with the team.
``I have never heard about that,'' a Dragons spokesman said Wednesday when asked about the reports. ``We asked the agent (IFA Sports) about it and he also said that he never heard about that.''
``We have a contract with Feyenoord, and we already paid the fee for the loan. We have a right to keep him until the end of the year as the documents show. If the club wants to transfer him, they must pay a penalty fee.''
Lee has scored four goals and added one assist in seven appearances with Chunnam this season and Dragons fans say they want him to stay.
``I hope Lee stays at the Chunnam Dragons. I think Lee, manager Park Hang-seo, and the club must work together to solve the problem,'' Dragons fan Lee Jong-deok posted on the club's official Web site, Wednesday.
However, keeping Lee in a Dragons' uniform may prove difficult for Chunnam, unless they are willing to work out a transfer agreement with Feyenoord.
``We have not thought about that. We may consider the option when the contract expires,'' the Dragons spokesman added.
Lee debuted in the K-League with the Ulsan Tigers in 2002. He had seven goals and nine assists in 18 appearances in his rookie season, which helped him earn a spot on the national team for the World Cup in the same year.
He moved to La Liga's Real Sociedad in 2003 from the Tigers in a 3.5-million euro (6.3 billion won or $4.9 million) transfer deal that saw Lee earn some of that total. However, the first Korean player in the Spanish league was unable to make a good impression and joined Numancia the following year, but was released in 2005.
The 27-year-old returned to the Tigers and revived his career in 2005 and was named the K-League's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
The Korea University standout received another chance in Europe when he agreed to a four-year deal with Feyenoord in August 2007, but returned to the K-League on a one-year loan to the Suwon BlueWings in July 2008 after a lackluster one-season spell _ no goals in 12 appearances _ in the Netherlands.
Lee failed to adjust in his home country, scoring only one goal in four appearances with the BlueWings in 2008. Suwon released him last December, saying that he didn't take part in training without offering any reason.