The K League’s Um Ji Sung (21-Gwangju FC) has been compared to the top three transfer fees in the English Premier League (EPL). It is more meaningful because it is an analysis by an official of a prestigious club in European professional soccer.
In his report on Uhm, which was released on June 26 (KST), Yosser Farnbakkal (Netherlands) said, “He uses his body well in contested situations to win fouls. His 3.41 free kicks per 90 minutes is very similar to Manchester City’s Jack Grealish (28-England).”
According to the Korea Football Association’s official statistics, Uhm is the fifth most fouled player in the first division this season. Fanvacular is a video scout for PSV Academy in the Dutch Eredivisie and has appeared on broadcasts such as Eurosport. In 2020, he founded Target Scouting, a soccer talent search company.
Grillisi is described as a “left winger who can play as an attacking midfielder” with a thumb. He joined City in the summer of 2021 from EPL side Aston Villa for €117.5 million ($167.3 billion), still the highest transfer fee ever for an Englishman.
The Netherlands is ranked sixth in the UEFA league table, while PSV is 41st in the European club rankings. “He doesn’t have a big thumb (174 cm), but he has a great center of gravity and his agility is impressive. He has the ability to handle the ball, change direction quickly, and accelerate instantly after beating his opponent.”
According to Target Scouting, Thompson improved his competitive advantage percentage from 42% to 57% in just one year. This means that his 2023 K League 1 play will be even better than last season’s K League 2, when he won the Young Player Award (Under-23 MVP) and Best 11.
Add in the difference in quality between the two leagues, and it’s easy to see why Fanvacular is a fan of Ummjisung. Target Scouting also noted his “skillful use of both feet as a left wing”.
In modern soccer, it’s important for left wings to use their right foot and right wings to use their left foot. Thumb is classified as a right-footed player, but Fanvacular also appreciated his “ability to deliver great crosses with his left foot.” 안전놀이터
“He has a clear idea of what type of cross is needed in the current situation and is very calculated,” says Target Scouting, which lists Umsung’s cross success rate at 44%, adding that he is far from a mindless center back.
At the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he scored one goal and provided one assist to help South Korea reach the quarterfinals. In 2022, he was called up by Paulo Bento (54-Portugal) to make his A-match debut and score in a home trial against Iceland.