Crystal Palace winger Bae Jun-ho is being tracked by Premier League side Fulham as the end of the transfer window edges ever closer.
That is according to TEAMtalk football correspondent Fraser Fletcher, who states that the Cottagers are admirers of the 20-year-old after he enjoyed a breakout season in the Championship with the Potters last term.
Jun-ho has also been the subject of strong transfer interest from Dutch giants Feyenoord this summer, but Stoke have insisted that he is not for sale as boss Steven Schumacher aims to guide the club into the top-half of the second-tier for the first time since relegation from the top-flight in 2018.
Jun-ho arrived in the Potteries from Korean side Daejon Hana Citizen for a reported fee of around £2m last summer among a host of overseas signings, and was the pick of the bunch in his debut campaign as he won the club’s Player of the Season award in May for his impressive performances, particularly in the second-half of the season.
Fulham’s interest does not seem to have materialised into an actual transfer advance as it stands, and Stoke will hope it remains that way unless they are made an offer that they cannot refuse in the coming weeks.
Jun-ho has been a standout for Stoke
Jun-ho arrived in the Potteries as a relative unknown last August as he left his boyhood club Daejon to join Stoke on a four-year deal, and was largely limited to substitute appearances in the early stages of the season under Alex Neil, but began to force his way into the starting eleven after Schumacher’s appointment in December.
The 20-year-old netted his first goal for the club against Cardiff on February 24, then followed that up with the opener a week later in a key victory at home to Middlesbrough as Stoke battled against the drop and he began to win the hearts of the Potters’ faithful with each passing week.
He played a crucial role in the second half of the campaign, and especially in the season’s run-in, as Schumacher’s side lost just once in the last eight games of the season to avoid relegation, and then crowned his fantastic debut season by winning the club’s Player of the Year award, as voted by the fans, in turn ending 2023/24 with two goals and six assists in 40 games in all competitions.
His good form even saw him win his first call-up to the South Korea senior team in June, and he scored his first goal for his country just nine minutes into his debut in a 7-0 win over Singapore.
Schumacher will want to keep hold of Jun-ho
There has been a lot of talk around Jun-ho’s future this summer, and it seems increasingly likely that he will stay at Stoke as deadline day edges closer, but a move away is clearly not out of the question and a sizeable fee would certainly tempt the Potters to cash-in, as much as Schumacher and fans alike will want him to stay.
A previous report from TeamTalk stated that Jun-ho’s fine form had alerted clubs in the Bundesliga and Serie A to his transfer situation, while three Premier League sides reportedly made Stoke aware they were monitoring his progress, and Dutch outlet 1908.nl also revealed earlier in the summer that Feyenoord were interested in securing his signature.
The South Korean international was reportedly ‘charmed’ by the interest from the Dutch giants, but a report from StokeOnTrentLive in July stated that there were no plans for Stoke to sell him, barring an incredible offer, with his contract not up for another three years and the Potters in no rush to sell.
With interest from Fulham now being reported, a potential swap deal of sorts could be mooted amid Stoke’s apparent interest in Cottagers striker Jay Stansfield, as they look to bring in a clinical striker this summer to improve on their poor 2023/24 scoring record.
It remains to be seen whether Marco Silva’s side will go ahead with a move for Jun-ho this month, but his transfer saga is certainly one to keep an eye on right up until when the window closes on August 30.
