'For the first time in 21 years since Park Ji-sung,' number of Korean players in EPL effectively confirmed at 'zero'

*This content was translated by AI.

The summer transfer window for the 2026–2027 English Football League Premier League (EPL) season has closed. Total spending by ECL clubs reached a record-breaking 3.41 billion pounds (approximately 6.31 trillion won), surpassing the previous high just one year later. However, despite the most active transfer window in history, it now appears increasingly unlikely that any Korean players will be seen on the EPL stage this season.

The EPL summer transfer window officially closed at 7 a.m. (Korean time) on the 2nd. Amid a flurry of transfers in the final hours of the window, no new Korean player emerged for the EPL. The last glimmer of hope was Hwang Hee-chan, who had played in the EPL until last season and was seeking a new club after his team, Wolverhampton Wanderers, was relegated to the second division. However, Hwang's destination turned out to be Schalke 04 in Germany's Bundesliga.

As a result, it has become virtually impossible to see Korean players consistently featuring on the EPL stage this season. Kim Ji-soo remains with Brentford and Park Seung-su with Newcastle United, but both have been training with their respective U21 teams since the start of the season, far removed from first-team action. Although they are already registered with their squads and could be called up for EPL matches at any time, how quickly opportunities may arise remains uncertain given the competition for starting positions within each team. More weight may now be placed on the possibility of them being loaned to leagues where transfer windows remain open.

Unless Kim Ji-soo or Park Seung-su suddenly leap into first-team starter roles, it is highly likely that no Korean players will consistently feature in the EPL this season. Since Park Ji-sung's move to Manchester United in 2005, there has always been at least one Korean player appearing regularly on the EPL stage each season. However, this streak has now been broken for the first time.

Domestic enthusiasm for the EPL is also expected to decline significantly. Park Ji-sung's move to Manchester United and his performances sparked a major boom in interest in the EPL and European football across South Korea. Son Heung-min's success during his Tottenham Hotspur era further cemented the EPL as the most popular league in the country. However, it is true that interest began to wane after Son Heung-min's transfer to LAFC. With Korean players now virtually absent from the EPL starting lineups, public attention has inevitably diminished even further.

Earlier concerns raised by The Guardian UK — that this could be the first EPL season without a Korean player since 2005, following the glorious days of Park Ji-sung and Son Heung-min — have now become reality. In contrast, Japan will have a record-high 10 players competing on the EPL stage this season, marking a sharp divergence in fortunes between South Korean and Japanese football.

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*This content was translated by AI.