Swansea hopes to seal Ki deal

LONDON (AFP) ― Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is confident of completing the club-record signing of South Korea midfielder Ki Sung-yueng from Celtic on Friday.Laudrup’s club have agreed a fee of around 6 million pounds with the Scottish champions for Ki, who helped his country win a bronze medal at the London Olympics.The 23-year-old, who has yet to return to Celtic this season as he tries to secure a move, will travel to south Wales for a medical and contract talks and Laudrup expects the deal

Aug. 24, 2012

Olympic footballer qualified for military exemption without medal: official

South Korean soccer player Park Jong-woo carries a sign given by a fan that reads “Dokdo Is Our Territory,” after winning the bronze medal match against Japan at the 2012 London Olympics on Friday. ( Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)Footballer Park Jong-woo will still be eligible for military exemption despite not having collected his bronze medal from the London Olympics following his post-victory celeb

Aug. 24, 2012

Chelsea rallies to beat newcomer Reading

LONDON (AP) ― Fernando Torres scored the go-ahead goal from what appeared to be an offside position in the 81st minute, helping European champion Chelsea rally past Reading 4-2 in the Premier League on Wednesday night.The unmarked Torres tapped the ball into the net from Ashley Cole’s cross for a 3-2 lead. Torres didn’t get his first league goal last season until Sept. 18 and he finished with just six.“It was clearly offside which was really disappointing,” said Reading manager Brian McDermott,

Aug. 23, 2012

Ki Sung-yueng confident of good career in Premier League

As he poises to join the English Premier League, South Korean footballer Ki Sung-yueng said Thursday he is confident he will fit right in.Reports out of Britain said Ki has agreed in principle to join Swansea City in Wales. Ki left South Korea Thursday for London, apparently to finalize his transfer from Celtic FC in Scotland, a transaction reportedly worth 5 million pounds.“It’s an honor to play in such a world class league that I’ve only watched on television,” Ki told reporters at Incheon Int

Aug. 23, 2012

Ki highest value Korean in EPL

Swansea City’s accepted bid for Ki Sung-yueng and the reported transfer fee could make the midfielder the most expensive Korean player ever to play in the English Premier League.The Celtic midfielder is set to move to the Welsh club after chairman Huw Jenkins confirmed that his club has agreed on a fee for the 23-year-old.It is reported that the South Wales club will pay around 6 million British pounds ($9.5 million).Before the bid for Ki, Park Ji-sung boasted the highest transfer fee for a Kore

Aug. 22, 2012

Soccer caught in politics

Hong Myung-bo, the head coach of the South Korean men’s Olympic soccer team, on Wednesday expressed his dismay at local officials’ handling of the aftermath of a player’s celebration at the London Olympics.At a press conference discussing the country’s bronze medal-winning performance, Hong said Park Jong-woo, the player in question, deserves the medal that he has yet to collect. South Korea defeated Japan 2-0 to take the bronze, the country’s first Olympic football medal, but Park was barred fr

Aug. 22, 2012

Korean teen joins Spanish youth team

A South Korean teen soccer player has joined a youth club under a top-division Spanish team, officials announced Tuesday.Sim Seong-ho, 14, is the latest member of the U14 squad under Real Valladolid in Spain. The Busan-native left wingback is a beneficiary of the national youth development project by the Hong Myung-bo Scholarship Foundation, run by the former South Korean national team captain and the current Olympic football team head coach.Since July 2008, Hong’s foundation has been sending te

Aug. 21, 2012

Man United stunned by Everton in opener

LIVERPOOL, England (AP) ― Marouane Fellaini headed in a corner kick from Darron Gibson in the 57th minute, giving Everton a season-opening 1-0 upset win over Manchester United on Monday night.After losing the Premier League title to rival Manchester City on goal difference last May on the final day of a trophyless season, United lost at Goodison Park for just the fourth time in 21 Premier League meetings.“I don’t think anybody tonight was considering Everton at all,” Everton manager David Moyes

Aug. 21, 2012

Premier League challenge

Swansea City, Celtic agree on transfer fee for Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yuengEnglish Premier League team Swansea City has agreed on a fee with Scottish champions Celtic for Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yueng. Swansea chairman Hew Jenkins confirmed on Monday that his club has agreed to pay around 6 million British pounds ($9.4 million) to land the 23-year-old, who is being pursued by several clubs.Jenkins told STV: “We have agreed a fee with Celtic for Ki. We are currently holding discussions with

Aug. 21, 2012

Midfielder Ki Sung-yueng poised to join English Premier League

South Korea football player Ki Sung-yueng is poised to join Swansea City in the English Premier League, officials said Tuesday, Korean time, ending weeks of speculation about his future destination.In an interview in Scotland, Swansea City Chairman Huw Jenkins said his club and Celtic FC, Ki’s current team, have agreed on a transfer fee for the South Korean midfielder.“We are currently holding discussions with player and agent over personal terms,” Jenkins was quoted as saying on STV in Scotland

Aug. 21, 2012

Swansea City in talks over Ki

English Premier League side Swansea City is reportedly in talks with Celtic over the transfer of Korean player Ki Sung-yueng. According to the Daily Mail and other news media Monday, Swansea City has placed a 5 million pound ($7.84 million) offer with the Scottish champion for their midfielder. However, Celtic sources say further offers for Ki are expected this week and have placed the offer from the Welsh club on ice in anticipation of a transfer bidding war. A number of Premier League clubs ar

Aug. 20, 2012

Man City rallies to avoid upset

Lionel Messi scores twice as Barca routs Real Sociedad 5-1LONDON (AP) ― Manchester City fought back after a second-half collapse against Southampton and opened its title defense Sunday with a 3-2 victory against the Premier League newcomers.Carlos Tevez put City ahead in the 40th minute, but Southampton built a 2-1 lead on goals by second-half substitutes Rickie Lambert in the 59th and Steven Davis in the 68th. Edin Dzeko, who entered in the 14th minute after Sergio Aguero injured his right knee

Aug. 20, 2012

Footballer Ki spills the beans on Olympic team

Ki Sung-yueng (SBS "Healing Camp")Football player Ki Sung-yueng gave behind the scenes stories for his team’s quest for the nation’s first-ever Olympic medal on SBS television talk show “Healing Camp” to be aired Monday.Ki, well known for his confident demeanor and candid comments, offered his point of view on what happened in the locker room, anecdotes about stoic head coach Hong Myung-bo, and ho

Aug. 20, 2012

Liverpool loses as EPL opens

LONDON (AP) ― Liverpool lost its first Premier League game since Brendan Rodgers took over as coach, falling 3-0 at West Bromwich Albion after defender Daniel Agger was sent off early in the second half on Saturday.Arsenal began life without Robin van Persie with a frustrating 0-0 draw against Sunderland, but Fulham and Swansea both enjoyed 5-0 routs.Fulham did not miss American midfielder Clint Dempsey during its Premier League opener, cruising past Norwich at Craven Cottage.Coach Martin Jol sa

Aug. 19, 2012

Park Ji-sung makes QPR debut

Swansea City pummels QPR 5-0Korean football star Park Ji-sung started with his new team Queens Park Rangers, wearing the captain’s armband on Saturday, but his debut was tarnished by a crushing defeat. Park played the full 90 minutes against Swansea City, which romped to a 5-0 win over the Rangers in their first match of the English Premier League 2012-2013 season.The 31-year-old midfielder worked very hard and held on to the ball fairly well as he shuttled between defense and offense, but came

Aug. 19, 2012

Football chief apologizes for handling of 'Dokdo' celebration aftermath

South Korean soccer player Park Jong-woo carries a sign given by a fan that reads “Dokdo Is Our Territory,” after winning the bronze medal match against Japan at the 2012 London Olympics on Friday. ( Ahn Hoon/The Korea Herald)The head of South Korea's football governing body on Friday apologized for his agency's handling of the aftermath of a football player's politically-charged celebration at th

Aug. 17, 2012

Football: United agree deal for Arsenal’s Van Persie

Manchester United said Wednesday they had agreed a deal to sign Dutch striker from Premier League rivals Arsenal.“Manchester United is pleased to announce it has reached agreement with Arsenal Football Club for the transfer of Robin Van Persie,” said a club statement.“The deal is subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms. A further announcement will be made in due course.”Van Persie stunned Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger when he declared immediately after Euro 2012 that he wanted t

Aug. 16, 2012