Years ago in college, my friend Beller and I were deeply immersed in FIFA 08. We spent hours playing FIFA 07’s Manager Mode, when we made a legendary west ham team that eventually won the major european titles. Our permanent front two consisted of young legend Deano and 22 year-old wonderkid Chu-Young Park. Because of the way his name was displayed, and because it was just more fun, we called him PC Young.
The Situation
Park Chu-Young, formerly of FC Seoul, and now the most prized asset of AS Monaco, is 26, and in a awful situation not many in the football world can understand. Despite his team-high 12 goals in Ligue 1 last season, AS Monaco was relegated. Due to an 8 million euro relegation clause in his contract, the club has severed his transfer price to ease his move to other clubs. Naturally, they’ve received 8 million bids from Liverpool, French champions Lille, Paris Saint-German, Bordeaux, Rennes, German champions Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Everton, Bolton, Fulham, Newcastle and a host of other clubs. However, talks have all come to a standstill.
Why?
Every able-bodied South Korean male is required to complete a two-year service in the Korean military before his 30th birthday – a product of our country’s tiny size and war-ridden past. So from the standpoint of his suitors, they can only use the 26 year old for two years (latest he can enter the military is 28). So even if they sign him, they can’t sell him, or extend his contract because he’s out of commission for two years after that. Essentially, zero transfer value going forward.
PC young’s asking price was 20 million Euros as agreed by fair market valuation into his Monaco contract last season. Due to the relegation clause aforementioned, his club can only sell him for 8, and not a penny more. So its already a great bargain for other clubs, and a equally great loss for Monaco. But with the issue of his military service, all the clubs are understandably re-evaluating their offers to 2-4 million euros, which to Monaco, is unacceptable by a long shot. And if he does not sell for 8, they have no legal obligation to accept a lower price. So they won’t.
So he is now stuck at Monaco, unable to go to the top clubs of his choice, and with military service beckoning after a year or possibly more in Ligue 2. And there is literally nothing he can do about it. Thus, its a bad situation for him, for Monaco, for the top clubs that are chasing him, and the millions of Korean football fans who’d hate to see his career fizzle. It remains to see how he will get out of this predicament, or whether he will get out of it at all.
The Beautiful Game 