What works in K League 2 seems to work in K League 1 as well.
With the number of foreigners reaching 5+1, many K-League teams are trying to get more foreigners. If there are successful foreigners, there are also unsuccessful foreigners. In fact, there are a lot of failed foreigners. Especially, the probability of failure is high for foreigners brought in from outside.
Even if they are carefully checked and recruited through scouts, if they do not fit into the actual tactics and cannot adapt to Korea, they often fail to show their original skills and are eventually dishonorably released. Therefore, there is a strong tendency to want players who have already played in Korea and are proven. There are more eyes on foreigners playing in the K League 2. The main reason is that they are relatively cheap.
In the past, foreigners who dominated the K-League 2, such as Malkung (former Gyeongnam FC), Adriano (former Daejeon Citizen), and Jonatan (former Daegu FC), were highly successful in the K-League 1. This season, the trend has continued. Currently, the sole leader in the K League 1 scoring rankings is Thiago from K League 2.
Thiago played for Gyeongnam FC in the K-League 2 last season and showed incredible scoring ability. Although he was surpassed by Yoo Kang-hyun as the top scorer, he scored 19 goals, including the playoffs, and was named to the Best Eleven of the K-League 2 season. He joined the K League 1 after being offered a contract by Daejeon Hana Citizen. Despite some difficult times, Thiago has scored 12 goals in 25 K League 1 matches and is the league’s top scorer.
Given his physicality, goalscoring ability, and link-up play, it was expected that he would thrive in the K League 1, and he has. The season isn’t over yet, but at this point, the signing of Thiago has been a success.
Aside from Thiago, there are other players from the K League 2 who are doing well. There’s Hayes, who played for Gwangju FC last season, scoring 12 goals and adding four assists in the league. He moved to Jeju United and now has over 10 offensive points with 7 goals and 5 assists. Along with Yuri Jonatan, he’s an absolute force in Jeju’s offense.
Then there’s Willian. Willian came to the K League in 2019 and made his home in Gwangju. He played for Gwangju for two seasons, gaining experience in the K League 1. He then moved to Gyeongnam, where he played for about a season and a half, scoring 16 goals and providing six assists in 37 games. Last season, he made a midseason move to Daejeon, where he scored eight goals 바카라사이트 and one assist in 17 games to help the team win promotion. He currently plays for FC Seoul and has six goals in 23 games. He has a good record in terms of playing time and content. There’s also Hernandez, who came to Incheon United after gaining experience in the K League 2 with Jeonnam and Gyeongnam and showing good goalscoring ability.
This season, ‘foreigners from the K League 2′ continue to perform well, and scouts will pay attention to the foreigners who dominate the K League 2. Gyeongnam’s Jupo Gleison, Jeonnam Dragons’ Jesus Valdivia, and Gimpo FC’s ace Lewis will be on the radar. There’s also Jorge, who leads the Chungbuk Cheongju Dolphins.