image credit: Nottingham Forest
Minnesota United could miss out on both of its South Korean striker targets.
MLS insider Tom Bogert echoed an initial report from Fabrizio Romano Monday that Hwang Ui-jo, the South Korean striker MNUFC have been linked with since last summer, has received an offer from Chicago Fire that would make him a Designated Player.
The Loons currently have MLS discovery rights for the 30-year old, but Bogert also says the club could be willing to sell those to Chicago. Minnesota head coach Adrian Heath said Ui-jo “seems more likely” to end up in Chicago during media availability Monday
Ui-Jo is currently on loan from Nottingham Forest to Olympiacos, where he’s made 11 appearances and has yet to score. Prior, the striker spent the last three seasons with Bordeaux in France’s Ligue 1, scoring 29 goals in 94 appearances.
Minnesota’s other reported target, Cho Gue-sung, could be set to return to Jeonbuk in the K League while also currently being linked with Celtic and Mainz. Heath added the acquisition of the 25-year old is “proving to be difficult” and Jeonbuk are “a little reluctant” to let him go.
Gue-sung scored a pair of goals in South Korea’s World Cup group stage loss to Ghana. On the club side, he tallied four goals in eight appearances with Jeonbuk last season.
David Naylor