Paik Seung-ho can’t wait to get started in Tony Mowbray’s Birmingham City side having landed in England following the completion of his move from his native South Korea. Midfielder Paik, 26, has agreed a contract with Blues until the summer of 2026 and is in line to make his debut against West Brom on Saturday, having joined on Monday from Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
Paik becomes Blues’ second acquisition of the January window after the loan arrival of Andre Dozzell, while Blues aren’t likely to have concluded their business before Thursday night’s transfer deadline. Paik, though, is a particularly eye-catching signing with international pedigree and experience of various leagues in Europe having come through the ranks at Barcelona.
The South Korean travelled over with his mother to complete the move to St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park and he became acquainted with his new teammates when training with the Blues first team for the first time on Monday afternoon. Now, the attention of all concerned – including Paik’s – have switched to his debut, which is likely to come at The Hawthorns.
“I am really, really happy to be part of this club and this team. I am really excited. I can’t wait to start,” Paik told BluesTV in his first interview. “Since I was young and I started to watch football, one of my dreams was to come to England and play football. When I heard Birmingham was interested in me, I was really happy. I have known the club since I was a young kid. So, after meeting the manager and directors, I decided to come here.
“I had waited a long time to start with the team. I really enjoyed it. Many people really helped me. I’m getting involved. Meeting the team was really good. The first time…I can be a little bit shy but all the teammates have helped me and they’ve made it very easy.”
Speaking with manager Mowbray has only whetted Paik’s already sizeable appetite to break into this team, having learned of the plans the boss has for him and the team in general.
“He told me what he thinks about me and my style, the plan he has to use me on the pitch, the plan for the future also and everything was so good,” Paik explained. “I have been in many countries and one of the most important things to me is the relationship with the manager. Speaking with him, I found it really comfortable and it motivated me to come here. It was the biggest reason I came here.
“This is the football I like to play. Speaking with the manager, I think I will do really good things here. I will do my best to help this team. It’s impossible to explain in words how excited I am to be with the team, and to be in the stadium with the fans.”
