http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/lee-congerton-dick-advocaat-work-9414979 Sporting director Lee Congerton and coach Dick Advocaat have returned to old haunts to find players for Sunderland this summer Sporting director Congerton is in charge of recruitment at the Stadium of Light, but new coach Advocaat will have a significant input too. That is shown by the fact one of the club’s top defensive targets, Kim Young-gwon, plays for South Korea – one of the six international sides he has managed. The 25-year-old’s contract with Guangzhou Evergrande expires in December, and he is therefore expected to be available for less than £1m. Swansea City, Southampton and Celtic are also thought to be interested in Kim, a 6ft-tall left-footed centre-back who has 34 caps, but has played all his club football in Asia. Kim was signed for Guangzhou by Italian World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi, who rates him highly, and shares an agent with compatriot and former Sunderland forward Ji Dong-won. Advocaat was in charge of South Korea in the run-up to and during the 2006 World Cup, four years before Kim made his professional debut. But it shows a network of contacts that will come in handy asSunderland look to scour a crowded transfer market. Congerton, meanwhile, has identified former Real Madrid forward Joselu as a possible solution to the club’s goalscoring problems. The 25-year-old played twice for Madrid, scoring in both games, but has since moved on to the Bundesliga, where Congerton was Hamburg’s director of football before taking a similar job on Wearside last year. Joselu joined Hoffenheim, who later loaned him to Eintracht Frankfurt, and last season he had a productive first year at relegation strugglers Hannover, scoring 14 goals in all competitions. West Ham United and Sevilla are also monitoring his progress. But Congerton’s remit is not restricted to the first team, and 18-year-old central defender George Brady is set to join the development squad after being released by the sporting director’s former club Chelsea. Brady, the nephew of West Ham chief executive Karen Brady, was born in Monaco and joined from Cannes three years ago for a reputed £250,000. He was part of the Blues’ FA Youth Cup-winning team of last year, and has captained various Chelsea junior sides, but was beset by injuries last season, making only ten appearances for the under-18s, and none for the older sides. One of the club’s existing youngsters, Duncan Watmore, should be given a more prominent role next season after being voted the “revelation” of the Toulon Tournament after scoring twice for England Under-20s in the group stages. Advocaat spoke highly of the Newcastle University economics student in his maiden Press conference, but it did not translate into opportunities. His only first-team appearance for the Black Cats remains an FA Cup third round tie against Carlisle United in 2014. England finished fourth in the prestigious tournament, which goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also played in. Last month the forward was also voted the Under-21 Premier League player of the year.
The Korean mentioned above sounds like his career is regressing. I always get nervous when I hear about our intention to pluck unknowns out of relative obscurity - reminds me of the Di Fanti close season a few years back I really hope we are in for Charlie Austin. I will be most upset if the mags sign him unopposed
Spot on. I hope this is just paper talk because if this is the plan, prepare for another season of struggle. We have been let out of jail twice now, this squad needs quality not punts on Korean might have berms. This is indeed like the DeFanti stuff and it's a no thanks from me. Charlie Austin, now that is more like it but he will not come cheap. We have to invest in quality
Joeslu is an interesting one. Would prefer Franco Di Santo or Nils Petersen if we are fishing in germany
