Cho Gue sung WILL regret Celtic transfer snub as South Korea star handed pointed Oh comparison

The World Cup star turned down the chance to leave the K-League to focus on his fitness.

Veteran South Korea defender Park Joo-ho has told Cho Gue-sung he WILL regret not joining Celtic in the January as he lauded former teammate Hyeongyu Oh for making the move.

Ange Postecoglou's side were keen on the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors striker in the winter transfer window after he impressed for South Korea at the World Cup, with Bundesliga side Mainz also offering a route to Europe for the 25-year-old. In the end, he opted to remain in the K-League and work on his fitness with his countryman Oh making the move to the Scottish Premiership from Suwon Bluewings.

Gue-sung has been vocal in his homeland when discussing his dream move to the English Premier League, but Joo-ho insists moves to European clubs don't come along too often for the stars in Korea's domestic leagues. The 36-year-old played for Basel, Mainz and Borussia Dortmund during his career before returning to the K-League to see out his career.

Speaking to Korean outlet Sisa, the Suwon left-back said: "If you experience (Europe) when you have a chance to go out, then way you see the way football changes. When the opportunity comes, you must go out unconditionally.

"It's better to go in the summer but it's not easy to adapt right away without having a chance to exercise with that teammate. Still, it is difficult to come up with another proposal from the same team."

He also reckons the Oh was right to take the gamble in Europe - a move he wishes he had made earlier in his career. Joo-hoo continued: "When I was 20, I didn't have a dream of going to Europe. It's because I didn't see many senior players playing in Europe.

"Now, watching European players, even elementary school students dream of playing in Europe. Players also need time to adapt to Europe. Small and medium leagues are never easy places."

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