South Korean teenage footballer Ryu Seung-woo on Tuesday denied a media report that he is about to join Borussia Dortmund in the top German league.
In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency, Ryu said that no deal has been signed.
“I haven’t made up my mind,” Ryu said. “Nothing has been determined. I will let my agent take care of any transaction, and I will just focus on football.”
The online edition of Kicker, a German sports magazine, reported earlier Tuesday, Korean time, that the 19-year-old will be the latest summer signing by the Bundesliga side. The report noted that Borussia Dortmund has yet to give an official confirmation of the move.
Ryu Seung-woo. (Yonhap News)
Ryu, who plays for Chung-Ang University in Seoul, recently represented South Korea at the FIFA U20 World Cup, where the country reached the quarterfinals earlier this month.
In the group stage, the winger scored the go-ahead goal in the team’s 2-1 victory over Cuba and then netted the equalizer in the 1-1 draw against Portugal.
Ryu injured his ankle during the final group stage match against Nigeria and missed South Korea’s next two matches. South Korea beat Colombia 8-7 on penalties in the round of 16, but lost to Iraq 5-4 on penalties in the quarters.
Ryu said during the U-20 World Cup, he began harboring dreams of playing professional football quickly to improve himself. He said he will be rehabbing his ankle until next month.
Cho Jeong-ho, Ryu’s head coach at Chung-Ang University, also said Tuesday that no deal has been set in stone yet.
“Ryu has received an offer, but his move to Dortmund is not yet final,” Cho said. “He is injured, and there is no need to hurry.”
Cho said his prized pupil still has a lot to learn but that he is exceptionally gifted.
“He is smart and technically sound,” the coach said. “If he can learn well in a good club, I think he has potential to succeed overseas.”
If the signing is confirmed, Ryu would become the third South Korean in the Bundesliga. Striker Son Heung-min plays for Bayer Leverkusen and midfielder Koo Ja-cheol is with VfL Wolfsburg.
Ji Dong-won, who plays for Sunderland in the English Premier League, spent the second half of last season with FC Augsburg in Germany on a loan deal. He has since rejoined Sunderland, but has been rumored to be on his way back to Germany, possibly with Borussia Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund finished in second place behind Bayern Munich in the 2012-13 Bundesliga season, with 19 wins, six losses and nine draws in 34 matches. The club also scored the second most goals with 81, 17 behind Bayern Munich.
In May, the two rival squads also clashed in the final of the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious club tournament in Europe, and Bayern Munich prevailed 2-1. (Yonhap News)