Who is the next Lee Young-Pyo? - Five Korean defenders ready for Europe

Korean defensive legend Lee Young-Pyo will be remembered as the player who carved the route from the K-League to Europe after he left his homeland for PSV Eindhoven in 2003. More recently that pathway has become a well-trodden one, with a number of top European clubs increasingly turning to east Asia for talent.


Japan's J-League has been the source of a great deal of talent. However, it's been the K-League which has dominated the AFC Champions League in recent times, with Pohang and Seongnam winning the past two titles, suggesting there's a long list of untapped resources in Korea.


Ben Somerford introduces five defensive prospects who can follow in Lee Young-Pyo's footsteps and succeed in Europe.