So there is a catch in the Ki deal

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...h-Olympic-football-medal-for-South-Korea.html


Celtic midfielder Ki Sung Yueng aiming to avoid military service with Olympic football medal for South Korea
Celtic manager Neil Lennon has revealed that the opportunity to gain exemption from serving in the armed forces provided Ki Sung Yueng with all the incentive he needed to convert the decisive penalty in the 5-4 shoot-out victory over Team GB at Cardiff on Saturday.
Celtic midfielder Ki Sung Yueng aiming to avoid military service with Olympic football medal for South Korea
Hitting the spot: Ki Sung Yueng celebrates his decisive penalty for South Korea against Great Britain Photo: AFP

By Ewing Grahame

11:59PM BST 05 Aug 2012

The 23-year-old midfielder, who was chosen as South Korea’s Player of the Year in 2011, beat Jack Butland after Daniel Sturridge had missed for the host nation.

Now Ki and his team-mates have the chance to go for gold against Brazil in the semi-finals at Old Trafford on Tuesday, aware that a win could see them avoid national service.

Every Korean must serve for 18 months before the age of 29 or face being exiled from the country (which is still technically at war with neighbouring North Korea) but their footballers have been told they will be excluded from this mandatory duty it if they bring a medal back home.

“I spoke to Ki before he went away,” said Lennon. “They are very proud to be playing for their country; it’s a big event for them.

“There’s also the added carrot that - if they can get a medal - they might be permitted to leave out the two years’ military service they’re bound to do.

“So that’s a huge incentive for him on a personal level. There was nothing we could do [to stop him competing] because he’s an under-23 player and he got the call-up.

“I don’t know how his national service would impact on his contract here. I think there are a couple of their boys playing abroad and they have to do it: it’s compulsory.

“When their time comes up they’ve got to go and do it and it’s before a certain age as well.

“As soon as his participation in the Olympics is finished he’ll come back and join us. I hope he comes back injury-free as well.”

Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Hughes has identified Ki as a potential signing but there won’t be any business done until the Koreans’ Olympic sojourn comes to an end.

“It’s all gone quiet,” said Lennon. “They may come back again, I don’t know. But I haven’t heard anything more on that front.”

 

And we have some rivalry: -

Arsenal Transfer Rumour: Korean Steven Gerrard is Wenger's Next Target
Arsenal are reportedly interested in the services of Celtic and Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung

By IBTimes Staff Reporter: Subscribe to IBTimes's RSS feed

August 8, 2012 6:57 AM GMT

Arsenal are reportedly interested in the services of Celtic and Korean midfielder Ki Sung-yeung, as they try to complete their squad before the start of the 2012/13 Premier League season on 18 August. The Gunners have already announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla for an undisclosed fee; an earlier IBTimes UK report speculated the amount could be in the region of £17m. The interest in Ki Sung was announced after South Korea's quarter final penalty shootout win over Great Britain, in the men's football event at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Korean is widely regarded as a versatile player and enjoys comparison with Liverpool's Steven Gerrard for similarities in style of play. An important member of Celtic's squad, Ki Sung, the Daily Mail reports, is valued at £9m. He has also been linked previously with QPR, who have reportedly bid £6m for his services. Meanwhile, Liverpool have also been credited with an interest, with rumours from last month suggesting Brendan Rodgers wanted to bring him to Anfield.

Follow us Google Plus

Ki Sung isn't the only Hoops player Arsene Wenger is interested in though. An IBTimes UK report suggested defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama was also in the Frenchman's crosshairs; the Kenyan was reportedly being lined up as an alternative to Lille's Yann M'Vila.

"I'm proud that I'm the first Kenyan player to play in the UK and I'd be very happy also to be the first Kenyan to play in the Premier League," Wanyama said earlier, "I think the Premiership is the dream of so many players, so I'd be happy to play there. There are a lot of good clubs in England. I've been happy here, and the fans have been brilliant with me. But it would not be a terrible thing for me if the club agree to let me go, and they get a good offer."

Arsenal are now in Germany preparing for the start of the new season. They will play FC Koln in a friendly on 12 August, as part of the transfer agreement that saw German international striker Lukas Podolski move to the Emirates earlier in the summer.

 

So there is a catch in the Kia deal:

Apparently he can only play every other week and we have to pay 100% down with nothing to pay over a 36 month period...
Good news that he comes with a 7 year warranty against rust

 

But will we be offered an extended warranty of up to 52 months against accidents and electrical faults?

 

They can delay it until hes 35...at which point we will probably put a bid in.