Jae-sung Lee would no doubt love to be a part of the project at Manchester United, especially now that things are taking on a generally upwards trajectory under new boss Erik ten Hag.
It seems unlikely that the 30-year-old will end up on the red half of Manchester, however, owing in no small part to his age and status in the Bundesliga, though the dream of following in his idol’s footsteps (Park Ji-Sung) remains.
“Jae-sung Lee’s not a young player anymore at the age of 30, so he’s going for the next big contract. He’s doing very well at the moment and also played at the World Cup. He’s already registered five of Mainz’s seven goals after the winter break,” Christian Falk exclusively wrote for CaughtOffside.
“He’s dreaming of the Premier League and Manchester United would be particularly interesting for him. His big idol was Park Ji-sung, who played at United.
“If he has the choice, he would hope that United would knock for him but, at the moment, he’s probably more of a mid-table signing. Of course, if he can keep up the quality of his performances, perhaps he could go a step higher in the market.”
The South Korea international has already registered 10 goal contributions (seven goals, three assists) in 22 Bundesliga games this term, an improvement of three goals on the prior campaign in five less top-flight fixtures.
With Ten Hag remaining coy on the future of loan addition Marcel Sabitzer, it’s possible that there could soon be an opening for an experienced operator in the middle of the park.
Whether the Red Devils want to make that man Jae-sung Lee, however, seems perhaps unlikely after adding a 31-year-old Casemiro to the squad.
That’s not to slate the signing, of course, given the undeniable injection of quality the ex-Real Madrid star’s arrival has provided.
Though there will be a keenness at Old Trafford, one might have thought, to consider the future and players who could be mainstays in the midfield for at least the next five years or so. In that case, the Mainz man simply wouldn’t fit the bill.