Dortmund close in on Korean starlet Ryu

Posted Tuesday, July 16, 2013 by Foxsports.com

Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are reportedly close to sealing a deal for talented Korea Republic youngster Ryu Seung-woo.

Ryu, who currently plays for Chung-Ang University in Seoul, recently starred for the South Koreans in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup, scoring two goals in the group stage to help his side reach the knockout round, where they were ultimately eliminated in the last eight by Iraq.

And according to a report in Kicker, it appears that the 19-year-old is set for a big move to Europe after it was claimed that Dortmund have all but completed a deal to secure his services.

Nonetheless, Ryu's coach at Chung-Ang University, Cho Jeong-ho, insists nothing has been finalised but expects him to succeed wherever he goes.

"Ryu has received an offer but his move to Dortmund is not yet final," he said, according to Yonhap News Agency. "He is injured and there is no need to hurry.

"He is smart and technically sound. If he can learn well [at] a good club, I think he has the potential to succeed overseas."

If Ryu does indeed move to the Signal Iduna Park, he will join Bayer Leverkusen forward Son Heung-min and Wolfsburg midfielder Koo Ja-cheol as part of the South Korean contingent in the Bundesliga, while Ji Dong-won also spent last season on loan at Augsburg but has since returned to parent club Sunderland.

Dortmund are no strangers to signing exceptional Asian talent and enjoyed plenty of success with Japan international Shinji Kagawa, who established himself as a key member at BVB after arriving as a virtual unknown and had two excellent seasons in Germany, before earning a big move to Barclays Premier League champions Manchester United.