South Korean midfielder Jung Ho-Yeon opened up about the speculation linking him with a move to Celtic last summer, attributing the non-materialisation of the transfer to his own perceived shortcomings.
Despite the rumours and his own previous hints at a move to Europe from Gwangju FC, Jung has now clarified the situation, revealing a level of self-awareness and humility not often seen in professional sports.
Heading into the January window he was heavily linked to Celtic, and even in the window reports suggested Celtic were still keeping tabs on the player.
Clarifying the extent of these links to Celtic, Jung admitted, [Sports Seoul] “There was no official offer, it’s because I’m not good enough.”
Expressing a mixture of disappointment and pragmatism, Jung shared his aspirations for playing in Europe, alongside the realization that the opportunity to join Celtic or any other European club did not come to fruition. “If I had received an offer, I would have wanted to go to Europe. But there was no offer. I still feel like I’m lacking a lot, and I think the club felt that as well.”
Despite the setback, Jung is not dwelling on what could have been. Instead, he is focusing on his growth as a player, recognizing the need for further development. “I think I need to increase my value as a player this season. I think there is a lot of room for improvement, so I don’t have any regrets now.”
