The K-League, a professional football league with its opening approaching, is facing a major change this year.
The number of foreign players that influence farming during the year has increased. According to the will of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which is abolishing nationality restrictions, the existing ‘3+1’ (3 people regardless of nationality + 1 member of AFC) has been expanded to ‘5+1’.
In the K-League, foreign players are still limited to a maximum of 4 players (3+1), but it is clear that their influence has increased.
What is interesting is the change in the nationality of foreign players. There is no change in the fact that Brazil accounts for the majority of the nationality of foreign players, to the extent that there is a joke among fans that it is a ‘Brazilian hometown association’. But it is also true that Northern Europe, especially Sweden, has emerged as an option.
As of the 5th, there are only 6 players from Northern Europe (5 from Sweden and 1 from Finland) from 12 K-League 1 (division 1) clubs.
Swedish strikers Jonathan Ling (Jeju) and Dino (Gangwon), Swedish defender Kevin (Gangwon), and Finnish midfielder Nicilla (Suwon FC), who took their first steps in the K-League 1 last year, remain this year as well. In addition, Swedish striker Rubiksson and midfielder Boyanich joined Ulsan Hyundai.
Considering the fact that each club has not yet met all foreign players, it is highly likely that the number of players from Northern Europe will increase.
The K-League’s focus on Nordic players was influenced by their outstanding individual skills. The ransom is not cheap like Eastern European players, but there are many proven players, so they open their wallets while bearing the transfer fee. 먹튀검증
In the case of Rubikson, who was recruited by Ulsan this year, he is called the Swedish version of Jamie Vardy. According to Transfermarkt, a media specializing in soccer transfers, Rubik’s hand’s current market value reaches 1.5 million euros (approximately 2 billion won).
However, it is unclear whether Nordic players will become a trend beyond new options in the future. He will adapt well to the relatively cold weather, but surviving in the harsh K-League is not an easy task.
Groning, who was the top scorer in the Danish second division (23 goals), left Suwon Samsung last year without scoring a single goal. If you evaluate it coldly, the rest of the players who played in the K-League last year did not completely live up to expectations. Following Brazil and Eastern Europe, attention is drawn to whether it will create a new wind in Northern Europe.