Chung Woo-young (33-Kalis) has established himself as a top-class player in his first year with top-ranked Saudi Arabia in the 2023-24 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) League. He’s a seasoned player with a wealth of experience under his belt.
This season, Jung has become a staple in Khaleej’s defense and central midfield, averaging 88.1 minutes per game in 12 Saudi Arabian first division matches.
As of Nov. 6, Jung ranks sixth in interceptions in the 2023-24 Saudi Arabian Premier League. His defensive stats per 90 minutes are also impressive, with 5.82 ball possession recovered, 1.33 tackles won, and 1.02 interceptions.
They have yet to concede a shot on goal or a penalty kick. The team’s passing has been steady, with an 89% success rate and a 94% accuracy rate in the defensive third. His per-90-minute stats, including 4.39 effective roving passes and 3.98 passes over 22.86 meters, show a veteran’s ease.
In addition to his role as a launching pad for attacks from his defensive midfield position, Jung has the height (6-foot-2) and skill to play center back as well as central midfield. 무지개토토
It’s rare to find a player in Asian soccer who possesses these attributes at a certain level. That’s why Paulo Bento (54-Portugal), who took over as coach in 2018, used Jung to lead South Korea to a 16th-place finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The midfielder has shown his status as a key player in the Khaleej’s midfield by taking two direct free-kicks in the Saudi Arabian top flight this season. He even scored his debut goal at home in the FA Cup round of 16.
His skills and leadership have also been recognized in Japan, where he became the second Korean captain in J-League history with Vissel Kobe. According to Saudi Arabian electronic newspaper Sharq, Khaleej have been keen to sign the player as they need to play more organized football from the back.
Saudi Arabia has one of only 11 “club soccer’s top divisions with a combined player value of more than €1 billion (KRW 1,397.6 billion)” in the world, according to transfer market specialist Transfermarkt.