Kim Ji-soo, who has grown from Seongnam FC’s promising player to the K-League’s best young gun, receiving European attention. It was the result of making the best use of the opportunities given to him.
Kim Ji-soo is receiving attention from Brentford in the English Premier League (EPL). A football official said on the 15th, “Brentford sent an official letter to recruit Kim Ji-soo.” Kim Ji-soo has been linked with European teams such as Bayern Munich since before this season, but now he has received an official offer from Brentford, which belongs to the EPL.
A top 10 EPL Korean leaguer could come out. Kim Ji-soo, born in 2004, is very young and signed Seongnam’s first semi-professional contract last season and came to his professional stage for the first time. He has high potential and is considered to be physically good compared to his age, but very few people thought that he would play as a starter right away in the pro.
An opportunity came to Kim Ji-soo, who was developing his skills. Kwon Wan-gyu and Kim Min-hyeok, who had been brought in for a huge salary, could not come forward due to injuries and sluggishness, so coach Kim Nam-il began to appoint Kim Ji-soo. Kim Ji-soo showed more than expected. He was not pushed back by K-League representative foreign strikers such as Lars, and gave a sense of stability with a concentrated defense. Kim Ji-soo, who showed off a strong defense, continued to put his name on the starting lineup.
Kim Ji-soo recalled that time in a phone interview with ‘Inter Football’ in March. “I thought I would play one game last season. But I played faster than expected and fortunately I took the opportunity well. Before the season, I didn’t feel like I would continue to get opportunities. I did prepare myself well. I did it with the mindset that I should do it without fear, regardless of whether I am good at it or not,” he said.
The K-League was excited by the appearance of a super-special rookie center back. At this time, a second chance comes to Kim Ji-soo. It was a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur. Two players were selected from each K-League 1 team, but Kim Young-kwang and Kim Ji-soo were selected from Seongnam. General fans who did not know Kim Ji-soo well came to know Kim Ji-soo, who made his name known by playing against Tottenham and participating in various events. It was the moment when the value of Kim Ji-soo jumped once again.
In an interview, when asked about the Tottenham match, he said, “I don’t remember any Tottenham players except for Son Heung-min. Playing in a crowd full of people is an unforgettable memory. do it It’s okay to make mistakes. You’re still young!” and cheered me on.” 안전놀이터
Even after Seongnam was relegated, Kim Ji-soo was evaluated as the best prospect. His performance in Seongnam naturally led to his promotion to the national team by age group. He was convened to the under-20 (U-20) national team led by coach Kim Eun-joong and played the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-20 World Cup, revealing his competitiveness on the international stage, and interest was high. He was in the final FIFA U-20 World Cup roster.
Even at a young age, Kim Ji-soo took advantage of opportunities and proved his ability, pioneering his own career. He now seems to have entered a stage where he will walk a new path. Going to Brentford, playing in the EPL at the age of a teenager, is a huge opportunity. Will Kim Ji-soo be able to make use of this opportunity? All football fans are watching.