Park seeks to stay in Europe

His English Premier League club having announced its plan to part ways with him, South Korean forward Park Chu-young hopes to stay in Europe to continue his club career, his agent said Tuesday.

Last week, Arsenal announced it would not retain the little-used forward when his contract expires at the end of June.

The news came just hours before Park and South Korea were to face Belgium in their FIFA World Cup match in Brazil.

Park watched from the bench in Sao Paulo as Belgium prevailed 1-0 and eliminated South Korea from the tournament.

The national team returned to South Korea on Monday, and according to Kim Dong-ho, Park’s agent in Seoul, the player plans to stay here for the time being.

“He will rest at home for now,” the agent said. “Once his agents overseas find suitors and begin negotiations, then Park will travel there.”

Park has reportedly asked multiple agents in Europe to find a new home for him.

The 28-year-old made his professional debut in South Korea with FC Seoul in 2005 and joined AS Monaco in the top French league in September 2008.

Three years later, Park signed with Arsenal but has made just one Premier League appearance for the London club since, making his departure this summer a foregone conclusion.

Park briefly played for Celta Vigo in Spain and Watford in the second-division English league on separate loan deals but was equally unimpressive there.

Despite his lack of action at the club level, Park was controversially named to the South Korean World Cup squad in May. (Yonhap)