Soccer-Ambitious QPR close in on Manchester United's Park

SILVERSTONE, England, July 7 – Queens Park Rangers

have concurred to sign South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung from

Manchester United, British media reported on Saturday.

QPR owner Tony Fernandes would not confirm the signing but

told Reuters at the British Formula One Grand Prix that the club

would be making an announcement on Monday at 1400GMT.

“Lots is happening in the club. We’ve signed five players,

we’ve got a few more to announce,” stated the Malaysian aviation

Reports stated the agreement, which could potentially be worth

5.0 million pounds ($7.75 million), will cost QPR an initial

transfer fee of 2.0 million for the 31-year-old who, a year ago,

signed a two-year deal to stay at United until the end of the

Park, who has made over 200 appearances for United since

joining from PSV Eindhoven in 2005, has a reputation as a big

game player able to relentlessly break up opposition attacks and

send his own team mates on the offensive.

He was the first Asian to compete in a Champions League

final in 2009, and won four Premier League titles at United. The

former captain of his country, he made 100 appearances for South

South Korea is also an important growth area for Fernandes’

Park would be the second United player to move to QPR this

week following young defender Fabio Da Silva who has joined on a

Fabio, who can play at fullback or in midfield, has played

53 times for United, but has rarely been a first-choice starter.

He should get plenty of opportunities as QPR bid to

establish themselves in the Premier League after staying up on

the last day of the season following their promotion in 2011.

Fernandes stated the club would probably sign three or four

more players on top of those already announced before the start

“What (manager) Mark (Hughes) would like to do is have two

people in each position,” he said. “Now whether we get to that

QPR are also planning a new 40-45,000 seater stadium in West

London and have hired architects Populous, who designed the new

London Olympic Stadium and Silverstone’s Wing pit and paddock

That would be more than double the capacity of QPR’s current

Loftus Road home. Fernandes stated those plans were looking good

and a preferred site had been identified in the White City area.

“We could have sold 20,000 season tickets easily and I think

with the investment in the squad and some of the ambitions that

we have, and the catchment area that we are in, I do not envisage

that it will be difficult to fill up,” he added.

He stated Populous would also be helping him with his new

Caterham Formula One team headquarters at Leafield in central

England as well as the development of QPR’s new training ground

“I’d like to try and make a Formula One, Caterham Cars, QPR

kind of concept with maybe a hotel in the middle, kind of health

(Additional reporting by Mike Collett; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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