Following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of the 2017/18 season, Swansea City were dealt with another blow as midfield mainstay Ki Sung-Yueng announced that he will be leaving the club upon the expiration of his contract in the summer.
The South Korean national team captain was one of the better performers for the Swans in a season filled with doom and gloom and went on to make 32 appearances across all competitions, scoring 2 times and setting up three more.
At 29 years old, Ki is in his peak years and has plenty left to offer. And given his years of experience at the top level, several clubs are interested in signing him on a free transfer in the summer.
And here are two clubs who could stand to gain a lot by signing the defensive midfielder this summer;
Crystal Palace
The Eagles managed to survive the threat of relegation last season, and while they managed to finish in a respectable 11th place in the Premier League table, manager Roy Hodgson will know that there is plenty of work to be done if the club are to maintain their top-flight status beyond the upcoming season.
With midfielder Yohan Cabaye’s future at the club in doubt as he could leave the Eagles once his deal expires at the end of this month, there will be a void in the middle of the park for Palace.
On the other hand, Jason Puncheon will be returning after a lengthy injury layoff, while last summer signing Jairo Riedewald hasn’t really got going at Selhurst Park. Moreover, Ruben Loftus-Cheek has also returned to parent club Chelsea following the expiry of his loan deal. Thus, Swansea need reinforcements in midfield.
Hence, adding someone as experienced as Ki to their ranks would be a great move for Palace. The South Korean has featured in over 160 Premier League games and has proven himself in the top-flight. His experience and know-how would come in very handy for the Eagles next season.
Cardiff City
The newly-promoted Premier League side have a solid group of midfielders, with the likes of Craig Bryson, Joe Ralls and Aron Gunnarsson in their squad. Versatile right-back Callum Paterson has also been used in the centre of the park by manager Neil Warnock last season.
However, barring Gunnarsson, none of the midfielders at Cardiff have Premier League experience. The 29-year Iceland international featured 23 times in the top tier for Cardiff during the 2013/14 season but he is likely to leave the club in the summer when his contract expires. And that is why adding someone such Ki could prove to be a great deal for the Bluebirds.
Comments are closed.