▲ In this file photo from Nov. 5, 2020, Son Jun-ho of Jeonbuk Hyyundai Motors gives an acceptance speech after winning the 2020 K League 1 MVP award at a ceremony in Seoul. (Yonhap)
▲ In this file photo from Aug. 1, 2020, Son Jun-ho of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (R) celebrates a goal against Pohang Steelers during a K League 1 match at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

football-player

Reigning K League MVP poised to join Chinese club

SEOUL, Dec. 30 (Yonhap) -- The 2020 South Korean football MVP Son Jun-ho is on the verge of joining a Chinese club, sources said Wednesday.

They said Son, a gritty defensive midfielder for the K League 1 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, has agreed to a deal with Shandong Luneng Taishan of the Chinese Super League, and the two sides are hammering out final details.

The sources added Son will command a transfer fee of about 6 billion won (US$5.9 million).

The 28-year-old helped Jeonbuk win a record fourth consecutive K League 1 title this year, and also led them to the Korean FA Cup title. It was Jeonbuk's first-ever "double," or winning two major competitions in the same season.

Despite not putting up gaudy offensive numbers or making highlight-reel plays, Son was voted the K League 1 MVP. On the Jeonbuk juggernaut that ranked third in the league in goals, Son was often the glue that held things together in midfield and covered forwards' backs on defense.

Shandong won the Chinese FA Cup this year to qualify for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League for 2021. They were looking to shore up their roster to compete against other top Asian clubs at the annual tournament, and Jeonbuk were the willing partner.

Jeonbuk have lost some key players to China and the Middle East of late, including national team defenders Kim Min-jae and Kim Jin-su, but they've successfully invested the resulting transfer fees into acquiring more talent.

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