LONDON (AFP) ― English Premier League side Sunderland on Thursday announced the signings of South Korea striker Ji Dong-won and English midfielder Craig Gardner.
Ji, 20, joined from Chunnam Dragons for an undisclosed fee and signed a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light.
He has scored six goals in 11 appearances for South Korea, including four at the Asian Cup in Qatar in January.
Ji Dong-won
“I am so satisfied to be able to come to a good club, a nice club in the world’s number one league,” Ji told Sunderland’s in-house television station, SAFC TV.
“I am happy because I have a chance to challenge the biggest players, and that gives me motivation.
”As a striker, I like to overwhelm defenders. My aim is to help the team get as many points as possible. That is what will give me satisfaction.”
Sunderland coach Steve Bruce said: “The boy has been in fantastic form for both club and country and he was one of South Korea’s stand-out performers at the Asian Cup, so we are delighted to bring him to Sunderland.
“The Premier League is very different to the K-League, so there is hard work ahead, but you just have to look at players like (Manchester United midfielder) Park Ji-Sung and (Bolton winger) Lee Chung-Yong to see how well Korean players are adapting to its pace and physicality.”
Gardner signed from relegated Birmingham City on a three-year deal, for a reported fee of around $9.6 million.
The 24-year-old, who joined Birmingham from their arch-rivals Aston Villa, was the Blues’ top scorer last season with 10 goals and was a part of the team that won the League Cup before succumbing to relegation in May.
Gardner told SAFC TV: “It’s unbelievable, to be honest. As soon as I found out Sunderland were interested, it was a no-brainer.”
Gardner’s arrival means he will be reunited with former Birmingham midfield colleague Sebastian Larsson, who made the same move earlier in the summer.
Sunderland, who finished 10th in the Premier League last season, have also signed Irish goalkeeper Keiren Westwood from Coventry City and 18-year-old English striker Connor Wickham from Ipswich Town.
