Sharjah have signed South Korean midfielder Song Jin-hyung to complete their foreign contingent for the 2016/17 Arabian Gulf League season.
The 29-year-old joins from Jeju United, the K-League Classic side, where he spent the past four years. He takes the final foreign player spot in the Sharjah squad alongside fellow new signings Gelmin Rivas, Adrian Mierzejewski and Digao.
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Able to play in central midfield or further forward, Song made his senior professional debut for FC Seoul in 2003. However, he made only 15 league appearances in four years there.
Song spent a more productive two seasons in Australia with Newcastle Jets from 2008, initially helping the club win the A-League Championship, before he moved to Tours FC in the French second division.
Song returned to South Korea in January 2012 and went on to play a key role for Jeju, making 165 league appearances and scoring 29 goals. He has represented his country’s national team three times, most recently in 2014.
Sharjah had originally identified Al Jazira’s Park Jong-woo as a principal target to fill their Asian slot, but the capital club’s decision not to push through a deal for Al Hilal’s Salman Al Faraj prevented the transfer.
In moving to the Arabian Gulf League, Song further swells the number of South Koreans currently in the UAE top flight, joining compatriots Lee Myjung-joo (Al Ain), Kwon Kyung-won (Al Ahli), Rim Chang-woo (Al Wahda) and Heo Jae-won (Dibba).
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