New Pohang Steelers midfielder Ki Sung-yueng poses in front of his new uniform inside the team’s locker room at Pohang Steel Yard in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, on July 3, 2025, in this photo provided by Pohang Steelers. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, July 3 (Korea Bizwire) – Pohang Steelers announced their acquisition of veteran midfielder Ki Sung-yueng on Thursday, finalizing a controversial transfer that had been several days in the making.
Pohang said Ki, 36, should shore up their midfield corps with his skills and high football IQ on the field and leadership off the pitch.
Ki’s former club, FC Seoul, had announced last Wednesday they would part ways with their former captain, days after speculation about Ki’s departure for Pohang first surfaced.
Ki began losing playing time this season under FC Seoul’s second-year head coach Kim Gi-dong, appearing in only eight of the team’s first 20 matches. Once he realized he was no longer part of FC Seoul’s plans, Ki asked them to move him to a team where he could continue his career.
Ki had spent his entire K League career with FC Seoul until now.
He made his professional debut with them in 2006, and played there until 2009 before leaving for Celtic in Scotland. It began an 11-year career in Europe for Ki, who later played for Swansea City, Sunderland, Newcastle United and Mallorca before rejoining FC Seoul in 2020.
Ki was also captain of the South Korean men’s national team and logged 110 caps. He played at three FIFA World Cups and helped South Korea to a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
“This is my first transfer in South Korea, and I am really excited and I can’t wait to get going,” Ki said in a statement released by Pohang. “I will do my best to create some cool moments with great players at this prestigious club. We’re more than halfway into this season and I will prepare for one match at a time and make sure I won’t have regrets at the end.”
For his new shirt, Ki chose No. 40, the very first number he donned as a rookie.
(Yonhap)
