Chung-Yong Lee v Georginio Wijnaldum – Who would be better?

Bolton’s winger Chung-Yong Lee and Feyenoord’s young attacking midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum have been linked with Liverpool in recent days. Both are young and offer very similar things as players, but which would be the better signing?

Chung-Yong Lee (Bolton Wanderers)

Strengths: Bolton’s young Korean winger was spotted as a talented player from a young age, and offers a great deal in the attacking third. Very useful with the ball at his feet, Lee is a very intelligent footballer whose vision, passing ability and trickery make him a formidable player to reckon with. The 21 year old also has pace with abundance which makes him a constant thorn in the side of opposition defences. Lee developed his abilities in his native land at FC Seoul and is one of a new breed of South Korean footballers coming through the ranks. He came to prominence at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and has fought his way into South Korea’s starting eleven during the World Cup qualifiers for 2010. He is now a regular fixture at right midfield and will be a consistent performer in the years to come for the Koreans. His transfer in the summer to Bolton for £2.2million indicated the young Korean’s talent and he has proceeded to prove his worth in the Premier League for the Trotters scoring 4 goals and assisting 3 others.

Weaknesses: His lightweight frame means he can be pushed off the ball too easily sometimes but at 21, he still has time to develop the physical side of his game. He also can be selfish on the ball which might not be to Rafa’s liking. The price tag of £8million may also put off the Reds.

Georginio Wijnaldum (Feyenoord)

Strengths: The young winger made his debut aged sixteen and has had two full years of first team action for Feyenoord which have served him well in refining his game. Very similar to Lee in playing style, Wijnaldum is extremely skilful with the ball at his feet and the young Dutchman uses both his pace and superior footballing intelligence to outwit opponents. He passes players easily because of his dribbling, and his natural ability to pass the ball are demonstrated with his fantastic final ball. He is exceptionally technically gifted on the ball and his ability to use both feet to play a killer ball is one of his greatest attributes. Such gifted passing ability combines well with his excellent vision that makes him the ideal player to be a playmaker. He may well become the archetypal “Dutch No.10” rather than the winger he is currently.

Weaknesses: Still playing in Holland, Wijnaldum has yet to prove himself in a top European league, unlike Lee, and at 19 years of age he is still a raw talent. His shooting ability needs to improve and he has only scored 7 goals in two seasons for Feyenoord. He also will need to develop the physical side of his game so he doesn’t get out-muscled by opposition defenders. The price tag of £5-8million also indicates that he maybe less value for money than Lee.

Verdict – Chung-Yong Lee- Lee just shades it due to his experience of Premier League football. Both players are similar in style; they have pace and are direct in the way they play. They are players that Rafa should be looking at to improve the lack of pace which the Reds currently have on the wings.