Former Celtic target Ki Sung-yueng keen on return to South Korea

Ki Sung-yueng is reportedly keen on returning to South Korea after being released from Newcastle United.

The former Celtic midfielder was linked with a return to Parkhead in January, with Football Insider suggesting Neil Lennon was interested in re-signing the South Korea international.

However, according to Goal in South Korea, a UK source has revealed a return to his homeland is the “preferred” option for Ki following his release from Newcastle, despite the midfielder attracting attention from elsewhere.

Ki Sung-yueng has a variety of options, including Europe, the Middle East, and China, but I think returning to Korea is the most preferred.

READ CELTIC VERDICT

Although he had a successful spell with the club earlier in his career, winning the league and the Scottish Cup (Transfermarkt), I don’t think he would have been a good signing this time around.

Celtic are now well stocked in midfield in my opinion, following the arrival of Ismaila Soro last month.

Furthermore, had Ki returned to the club, opportunities for the likes of Scott Robertson and Luca Connell may have been even more limited than they already are.

The former made his debut earlier this season (Daily Record) but that has been his only appearance thus far, while the latter has still not been seen in the senior side (Transfermarkt).

His wages may have also been a problem, given how he was earning around £60,000-a-week at Newcastle (The Athletic).

Therefore even if he agreed to a significant pay cut, he still could have been among the club’s highest earners, given how James Forrest’s £25,000-a-week deal saw him bumped into that bracket earlier this season (Football Insider).