"Escape from Iran" Lee Ki-je, where's the next destination? Suwon Samsung's 'Home' vs. First Division's 'Hoshi-Tam-Tam'

*This content was translated by AI.

Attention is now focusing on which team Lee Ki-je (35) will play after returning from Iran.

Lee Ki-je said on his social networking service (SNS) on the night of the 4th, "I arrived in Korea safely and safely. Thank you to those who were worried," he wrote, announcing the news of his return.

Lee Ki-je, who played a key role in K League 2 Suwon Samsung from 2018 to 2025, moved to Iran's professional football Mesrap Sanjan in January. Immediately after joining the team, he played full season for five consecutive games and quickly melted into the team. However, on the 28th of last month, the local league was completely suspended as the dispute between the United States, Israel and Iran intensified into an all-out war.

Not only the league suspension, but more of a problem was his safety. In the chaos where shells are dropped across Iran, Lee Ki-je was evacuated to the Korean Embassy in Iran. Afterwards, under the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he traveled overland to Turkmenistan by bus prepared by the embassy with 24 other Korean residents and returned home via Incheon International Airport on the 4th. It was simply a rough ride.

Lee Ki-je, who has stabilized with his return home, will soon decide on his next future. While the current contract with his team is likely to be terminated, the most realistic alternative is to return to the K-League, where the transfer market is open until the 27th.

In particular, the precedent of Hwang In-beom (Feyenoord), who left Rubin Kazan and signed a short-term contract with FC Seoul during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is drawing attention. There is a possibility that Lee Ki-je will also sign a short-term contract with the K-League club to maintain his sense of practice and then choose a strategy to seek to advance to the overseas stage again through the upcoming summer transfer market.

Suwon Samsung is considered the most likely destination. Lee Ki-je is a symbolic person who has been in Suwon from 2018 to 2025 and even kicked the captain. Although Suwon currently belongs to K League 2, the advantage is that it is the most familiar environment for them and does not require an adaptation period.

There is also a possibility of recruiting K League 1 teams. Lee Ki-je's unique sharp left-footed kick and national team experience are attractive cards for first-tier teams that need to strengthen their side defense immediately. This is because Lee Ki-je is an immediate sense of power for a team that has been plagued by injuries to fullback resources at the beginning of the season or has a thin depth.

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*This content was translated by AI.