News

Manchester United are set to wave goodbye to one of their longest-serving and reliable players after QPR moved to secure the signing of midfielder Ji-Sung Park.

According to widespread reports this morning, the 31-year old South Korean will move to Loftus Road for a fee of somewhere in the region of £2 million to £5 million once he has completed a medical and all the relevant paperwork is taken care of.

Park will leave Old Trafford with the best wishes of everyone at the club as he has become a fan favourite since joining from PSV Eindhoven for £4 million in 2005. At the time, the signing was ridiculed as a ploy to increase United’s appeal in the Far East and although it has been a shrewd move from a marketing perspective, Park more than paid back with his fee with a series of industrious and energetic displays in his time at the club.

The South Korean eked out a reputation as a big-game player and was often used by Sir Alex Ferguson in important Champions League games. He won four Premier League titles during his time at the Red Devils, as well as a Champions League winner’s medal in 2008, three League Cups and the FIFA World Club Cup.

Park quickly became a crowd favourite at Old Trafford and the subject of one of the most popular, if somewhat ethnically offensive, football chants, while also striking up a much publicised if unlikely friendship with French left back Patrice Evra. Maybe he might put manners on Joey Barton when he arrives in West London.

Early reports suggest that the departure of Park, who will possibly followed out the Old Trafford exit door by Brazilian midfielder Anderson, is to make way for new arrivals at United this summer, although the club’s somewhat dodgy financial predicament could have a big part to play on that score.

One Asian player, Shinji Kagawa, has already arrived at United this summer and if he can live up to what Park has achieved in his time at Old Trafford, the club will be more than happy with that piece of business.