I thought I had signed the Young Player of the Year but he disappeared and turned up at Arsenal.

Lille chiefs were left outraged at Arsenal when Park Chu Young turned up in London.

The South Korean international, an idol in his home country, played for a Monaco team that was relegated from Ligue 1 in 2011.

After three years at the Stade Louis II, the time had come to leave and Park's transfer to Lille was in the works.

The striker had agreed a contract worth around £40,000-a-week after reaching an agreement with Monaco worth €2.7m.

He had even completed the first part of his medical, but when the club expected him to report for the second part, he was nowhere to be found.

When they arrived at their hotel room, it was empty. There was no phone call, no message, nothing. Lille's management was baffled.

What they didn't know was that Park had disappeared while crossing the English Channel on his way to London to sign a contract. Arsenal in August 2011.

“We haven't had any phone calls or anything,” said Lille president Michel Seydoux.

“For all we know, he could be at Arsenal.”

It was a huge blow for Lille, who thought they had signed a real talent at a bargain price.

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Gunners manager Arsene Wenger was understandably delighted: “He will bring real quality to our attacking forces and will be a valuable addition to the squad,” he said.

By 2011, Park was already the captain of the South Korean national team. Years earlier, he had led the South Korean U-20 team to glory at the 2004 AFC Youth Championship, where he scored six goals, including two in the final.

He won the MVP award and the Ballon d'Or, but that wasn't all, he was named Asia's Young Player of the Year.

So when Lille saw him slip through their fingers, it is understandable to feel the club's fury.

However, Park's decision to leave the Ligue 1 side did not go down well with him as he only made four appearances in three years at Arsenal.

He made his Premier League debut against Manchester United in January 2012, but had to find a place in the first team thanks to the fine form of Robin van Persie, who finished the season with 30 league goals.

Two unsuccessful loan spells followed, to Celta Vigo and Watford, before he was released by the Gunners in 2014.

Before Cristiano Ronaldo He made it fashionable and Park moved to the Saudi Pro League, where he signed with Al Shabab for a year before returning to his native South Korea with FC Seoul.

Now at Ulsan Hyundai, the 39-year-old may come to regret his move to Arsenal, where he remains one of their most unlikely signings.

He won't be complaining though, given that he was league champion in 2022 and 2023 and is fighting for another title. Meanwhile, his former club Seoul has ex Manchester United Star Jesse Lingard talks about his books.

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