Swansea City, who compete in the English Championship (2nd division), has reportedly made an offer to Gwangju FC's key resource Uhm Ji-sung.
According to Gwangju FC, Swansea City recently made an official offer for the player.
It is said that Swansea City offered a transfer fee of around 1 million dollars (approximately 1.4 billion won) and a sell-on clause that allows the player to return a portion of the transfer fee to Kwangju if he moves to another club.
However, Gwangju believes that Thumb is worth more than $1 million and the two sides are still negotiating.
Gwangju has been struggling with the transfer of Uhm Ji-sung as the team has been in a bad situation lately.
Unlike last season, when the club had a successful year, finishing in third place, the highest K League 1 ranking in its history, Gwangju has lost 11 of its 19 matches this season.
This is the most losses among the 12 teams in the K League 1. 바카라사이트 추천 With seven wins, one draw and 11 losses, Gwangju (22 points) is currently in eighth place.
With only two points separating them from 10th-place Daegu FC (20 points), they could easily slip into the relegation zone.
Their recent form hasn't been good either. After winning 2-1 against FC Seoul (2-1) and 2-0 against Gimcheon Sangmu (2-0) in the beginning of the month, Gwangju came from behind to lose 1-2 to Daejeon Hana Citizen on March 22 and lost 0-1 to Suwon FC on March 25.
Byun Jun-soo, who has been the starting center back since making the switch from Daejeon ahead of the season, has been sidelined for about two months with an injury, which has left Lee Jung-hyo's face grim.
Having come through the club's youth system, Uhm Ji-sung is a key resource for Gwangju.
He is the only one who is capable enough to move between the front line and the second line and be a creative attacking force.
The fact that he already embodies Lee's organized style of soccer is another reason why Gwangju cannot easily let him go.
Gwangju's lack of attacking resources is such that Lee has been using players classified as third midfielders, such as Jung Ho-yeon and Choi Kyung-rok, up front, so a move would leave a huge void.
This is because Gwangju will not be able to sign any additional players even if Uhm Ji-sung leaves.
Gwangju, which received a 'conditional approval' in a short-term budget review earlier this year for failing to comply with the KFA's new financial regulations, will have to spend the transfer window 'empty-handed'.
The club will not be able to register any additional players until its actual income reaches the level outlined in the budget.
Unlike his contemporaries who won the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year and have the benefit of military service, the 2002-born Uhm Ji-sung has to serve in the army.
As such, he cannot afford to take his chances in Europe.
Yang Hyun-joon, who played as an ace for Gangwon FC last season, also publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the club's 'no transfer' policy after receiving an offer from Celtic (Scotland).
After losing Yang to Celtic, Gangwon, weakened by the move, faced relegation until the end of the season, when they narrowly managed to stay in the top flight after a promotion playoff (PO).