While World Cups tend to be dominated by the usual suspects – Europeans and South Americans turning the so-called ‘festival of football’ into a battle between two competing continents – Qatar 2022 was all about the underdogs.
Saudi Arabia beat Argentina. Cameroon beat Brazil. Morocco became the first African nation ever to reach a World Cup semi-final. Japan and South Korea, meanwhile, both secured last-16 berths after stunning Germany and Portugal respectively.
And, with the vultures always on the hunt for fresh meat, some eye-catching performances on football’s biggest stage appear to have opened the door to big-money moves for a handful of players who began the World Cup as relative unknowns but came out of it with their reputations transformed.
Moroccan heroes Azzedine Ounahi and Sofyan Amrabat are reportedly targets for the likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Cho Gue-Sung, meanwhile, could see his dream become reality after scoring twice in a 3-2 group-stage victory over Ghana.
“Thanks to the love of many people, the opportunity (to move to Europe) seems to be coming. I will talk about it,” says Cho; the 2022 K-League Golden Boot winner with Jeonbuk Motors.
“I want to go.”
Celtic favourites to sign Cho Gue-sung despite interest from Rangers and the MLS
According to the Scottish Sun, confidence is growing at Parkhead that Cho will be a Celtic player come February. The Hoops have launched a £2.6 million bid; offering to include a 50 per cent sell-on clause in his contract in an attempt to twist Jeonbuk Motors’ arm.
Bundesliga scrappers Mainz have already been priced out of contention. And Celtic could be handed a further boost from south of the border; Hwang Ui-Jo – Cho’s fellow South Korean international – seeing his loan spell at Olympiakos terminated by parent club Nottingham Forest.
Minnesota United tried to sign Hwang before he joined Forest over the summer. According to Fabrizio Romano, they are now renewing their interest as the former Bordeaux talisman becomes available once again. The MLS outfit want a new striker; narrowing their search down to two forwards born within 30 kilometres of each other in South Korea.
“As they proved in the World Cup, (Asian players tend to be) incredibly disciplined, hard-working, and can play,” says Minnesota’s head coach Adrian Heath, via the Duluth News Tribune. “We think there is a lot of good players down there.”
Despite rumours of interest from Rangers, Minnesota United appear to be the biggest obstacle standing in Celtic’s way as the fight for Cho Gue-Sung’s signature heats up. With some help of Nottingham Forest, however, Minnesota may soon be following Mainz’s lead and removing their name from the frame.
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