Asia

Celtic's Ki Sung-Yong: I'm More Steven Gerrard Than Shunsuke Nakamura

Another Asian midfielder is heading to Glasgow.

Nov 26, 2009 7:46:10 PM

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Ki Sung Yueng - South Korea-Iraq

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Celtic’s new South Korean signing Ki Sung-yong has warned the club’s legion of fans not to expect a new version of Shunsuke Nakamura.

The 20 year-old midfielder will head to Scotland from FC Seoul at the end of December after signing for the club in August in a deal worth around $4million but insists his style is more Gerrard than Nakamura.

In his homeland, Ki is nicknamed Korea’s Gerrard and he wants to show Celtic fans what he is capable of.

"There's big pressure on me arriving and playing for Celtic,” Ki told the Scottish Sun.

“People will be expecting me to be the new Nakamura, but I'm not. He was a wonderful player and really gifted technically, but that's not the style I play.

"I'm younger, faster and stronger. In South Korea people compare me to Steven Gerrard, and I'll admit that's who I've based my game on."

The international, named as Asia's Young Player of 2009 earlier this week, is a big fan of the Liverpool skipper.

"But Gerrard is one of the best and most recognised midfielders in the world.At the moment I'm not, but that's what I want to become.

"Gerrard is my idol, he's the complete midfielder. He can score, he can pass and he never stops working. That's why he's the best in the world and that's what I want to be."

That doesn’t mean to say that the former FC Seoul player doesn’t respect his Japanese counterpart.

"Naka has been incredible for Asian football. He's opened up the world to young players over there. We've all looked at what he's done and the profile he's achieved for himself. Players in Asia have a lot to thank him for, you definitely have to appreciate what he's achieved in the game."

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