NEWS - Wanderers offer Chung-Yong a route back home to Bolton

WANDERERS have left the door open for Chung-Yong Lee to make a return to the club this summer.

The South Korean midfielder is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace, where he made just 10 Premier League starts in three seasons.

He came close to re-joining Bolton in January when a loan deal was cancelled at the 11th hour – reportedly by former Whites boss Dougie Freedman, who is now sporting director with the Eagles.

Chung-Yong is understood to be exploring his options but Wanderers have kept in regular contact with the 29-year-old’s representatives and say they would be interested in talking to their former player of the year.

Asked last month about where he would be playing his football next season, the former FC Seoul playmaker said: “I don’t know. But if I have a chance to stay in Europe, I want to.

Of his time at Palace, which yielded just 51 appearances in all competitions after a £2million move from Bolton in February 2015, he added: “I learned a lot but I hope to play more next season.”

Chung-Yong has been regularly linked with a move back to Bolton during his time at Palace, although his wage at Selhurst Park was always considered a major obstruction. Should he fancy the challenge of playing in the Championship again at Bolton, it is understood the club is optimistic a deal can be agreed.

Phil Parkinson gave his blessing for a move in January and is known to be a big fan of the player, who had previously made 195 appearances for Wanderers and scored 20 goals.

He has already added Erhun Oztumer to his attacking ranks this summer and continues to work towards securing a deal for out-of-contract winger Sammy Ameobi.

The addition of such a popular figure could also have a positive effect on season ticket sales – which have stood up well despite a small increase in prices at the Macron Stadium.

Sales at the end of the early purchase deadline were circa 10,000 – mirroring the number 12 months ago, when fans were still on a high celebrating promotion from League One.

Attendances held up despite a difficult campaign, in which Wanderers spent 25 of the 46 game-weeks in the relegation zone. The average of 15,887 was the highest for four years and the club’s 10th highest for a season outside the top flight.

Source

I'm not sure about this because I'm always doubtful about players returning to a former club. They rarely if ever do as well the second time around. That said I rate CYL's ability so if he played to his best and was fully fit then he'd probably tear up this division. I only fear that he's played so little football over the last couple of years that he might have lost the appetite that made him so exciting to watch in his first spell here before that god awful injury.

luckyPeterpiper wrote: I only fear that he's played so little football over the last couple of years that he might have lost the appetite that made him so exciting to watch in his first spell here.

Peter, after 2 years of your wife withholding sex from you, would you:

a) be gagging for it
b) have lost the appetite for sex

I'm guessing it would be the first one.

Chungy will be desperate to play for Bolton.

I hope you're right Nat. My main fear on the appetite front is he's been with a Premiership club for most of his time in England and so he might not be keen on dropping down a division, especially not to a club who very nearly wound up back in the third tier last season.

He's a brilliant player on his day but will he really want it the way we'll need him to when we're playing away from home in the middle of winter against defenders who think Newport went too easy on him?

Jokes aside, I've always been against players returning to former clubs for the most part for reasons I've already stated. However I'd love Chungy to be the exception to the rule and if he does actually want to come back here we should snap him up instantly. I just hope he does want it and if so that we can afford his wages. I know he won't expect a big wedge because we're not a PL club now but will he be willing to accept what we can afford?

luckyPeterpiper wrote:I hope you're right Nat. My main fear on the appetite front is he's been with a Premiership club for most of his time in England and so he might not be keen on dropping down a division, especially not to a club who very nearly wound up back in the third tier last season.

He's a brilliant player on his day but will he really want it the way we'll need him to when we're playing away from home in the middle of winter against defenders who think Newport went too easy on him?

Jokes aside, I've always been against players returning to former clubs for the most part for reasons I've already stated. However I'd love Chungy to be the exception to the rule and if he does actually want to come back here we should snap him up instantly. I just hope he does want it and if so that we can afford his wages. I know he won't expect a big wedge because we're not a PL club now but will he be willing to accept what we can afford?

Frandsen didn't work out too shabby, as for being in the Premiership, I bet you could count your fingers to the amount of games he started.

Martin I agree CYL is a class player and of course Per did well when he came back here but I think you'd agree that all too often it doesn't work that way. It's the same with managers, how many times has a manager come back to a club he was successful at and either matched or bettered his first performance?

Look, don't get me wrong. If Chung really wants to come back and we can afford him then I don't think we've got any choice but to say yes because he is quality and we sorely lack that. I just fear there'll be too much expectation laid on him and that he might not be up for the sort of struggle we've been in for the last few years. I'd love to be proven wrong though.