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| Photo =Capture Kaiserslautern official SNS
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| Photo =Capture Kaiserslautern official SNS
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Kim Ji-soo (21), the youngest Korean Premier Leaguer, has taken on a new challenge. He transferred to Kaiserslautern in the second division of Germany on loan in the new season.
Kaiserslautern signed center back Kim Ji-soo on loan from Brentford in the English Premier League (EPL) on the club's website on the 23rd (Korea Standard Time)' is officially announced. General manager Martzel Claus Kaiserslautern reiterated that he wants to recruit a strong central defender, especially a player with a good left foot. Kim Ji-soo showed outstanding potential at an early age. He is already attracting attention on the international stage due to his good use of both feet, skills, and excellent physical conditions. We are confident that Kim Ji-soo can strengthen our defense."
Kim Ji-soo, who was born in 2004, is considered the future of Korean soccer. He played at Seongnam FC as a semi-professional in 2022 when he was a high school student. He moved to the UK in June 2023 and joined Brentford. In December 2024, he made his EPL debut as a substitute against Brighton. Kim Ji-soo was the 15th and youngest Korean player to experience the EPL stage. But I didn't get the chance as much as I expected. At the end of the season, he was immersed in rehabilitation due to injury. He played only three EPL games in the 2024-2025 season, one FA Cup and one Carabao Cup (League Cup).
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| Photo =Capture Kaiserslautern official SNS
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| Photo =Brentford Club's official SNS capture |
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Kim Jisoo made a decision. He left Brentford for Kaiserslautern on loan. It's a big decision. As Kim Ji-soo moved to the German stage, he could not qualify for the EPL home. It refers to a player who trained in England and Wales for more than three seasons before the age of 21. Eight of the 25 EPL registered players must be filled. Brentford planned to grow Kim Ji-soo into a team-groove as well as a home-groove. However, Kim Ji-soo seems to have decided that skill development takes precedence over homely qualifications.
An official familiar with the EPL situation said "Kim Ji-soo decided to rent for growth. It is said that the national team by age is also paying attention to Kim Ji-soo. However, it is true that Kim Ji-soo is not running as much as expected. Kim Ji-soo is likely to play the main role in Kaiserslautern. For Kim Ji-soo, the 2025-2026 season is more important than ever. Major tournaments will be held one after another in 2026. The North and Central American World Cup will be held in June 2026, and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games will be held in September.
There were also variables. Coach Thomas Frank, who has trusted and watched Kim Ji-soo, left Brentford and moved to Tottenham. Coach Frank trusted and raised Kim Ji-soo. In fact, last season "Kim Ji-soo will not leave the lease. I think it's better to train together in the first team and follow the team's norms and intensity" expressed his belief. But such director Frank left. Of course, coach Keith Andrews was promoted to coach, but Kim Ji-soo chose to change. For more playing time, it was decided to loan to Kaiserslautern, a German second division.
Kim Ji-soo, who is taking on a new challenge, said "I'm really looking forward to the new challenge at Kaiserslautern. I want to take this opportunity to grow further as a player and help the team have a successful season."
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
