In a significant milestone for Korean football, 19-year-old central defender Kim Ji-Su has become the first teenager from South Korea to join the English Premier League (EPL). Kim, born in 2004, has signed a four-year contract with Brentford FC with the option for a one-year extension. This agreement makes him the 15th Korean to enter the Premier League, and the first to make the transition directly from the K League 2, the second-tier football league in South Korea.
Kim Ji-Su, standing at 1.92m tall and weighing 84 kg, is hailed as both the present and future of Korean football. His impressive physicality, coupled with his outstanding sense of the game, has been highly praised by critics. In his professional debut as a high school student, Kim participated in 19 games in the 'Hana OneQ K League 1 2022'.
The rising star has attracted attention from several European clubs, with German powerhouse Bayern Munich being the first to express interest in the player in January. However, a deal was not finalized due to delays in the paperwork process. Despite this setback, interest in Kim continued to grow, especially following his remarkable performance at the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-20 Asian Cup. His talent received accolades from big clubs in the EPL, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga.
Brentford FC moved swiftly to secure Kim. They actively pursued him for over six months, fully aware of the changes to the UK government’s work permit regulations. Brentford had no plans to lease Kim and were reportedly open to the possibility of him playing home games. Kim, too, was keen on joining the EPL.
With the assistance from Korea Football Association chairman Jung Mong-kyu, and Korea Professional Football League president Kwon Oh-gap, who both sent recommendation letters, Kim managed to solve the work permit issue. The English Football Association had made changes to its rules, enabling players who previously could not receive work permits to be signed by EPL and Championship clubs.
After wrapping up his participation in the U-20 World Cup, Kim completed all the procedures necessary for joining Brentford, including his medical test. In an exclusive interview, Kim expressed his determination to learn and grow. Phil Giles, director of Brentford, described Kim as a promising player who attracted interest from many teams in Europe this summer. He assured that Kim would be given all the necessary time to learn English, adapt to UK life, and grow as a B-team player.
