Ji ready for Premier League challenge

Ji Dong-won completed his move to Sunderland and immediately signalled his intention to "overwhelm" Barclays Premier League defenders.

The 20-year-old South Korea international has signed a three-year deal after securing a switch for an undisclosed fee from Chunnam Dragons, and he will join Asamoah Gyan and £8.1million new boy Connor Wickham in a re-shaped strike-force.
Ji arrived in England with a blossoming reputation after scoring four times for his country at the Asia Cup earlier this year, and standing at almost 6'2" tall, he is ready to make his presence felt.
He told SAFC TV: "As a striker, I like to overwhelm defenders.
"My aim is to help the team get as many points as possible. That is what will give me satisfaction.
"I am so satisfied to be able to come to a good club, a nice club in the world's number one league.
"I am happy because I have a chance to challenge the biggest players, and that gives me motivation."
Ji finally put pen to paper after having to wait for the administrative details of his move, including a work permit, to be finalised.
Manager Steve Bruce said: "The boy has been in fantastic form for both club and country and he was one of South Korea's stand-out performers at the Asian Cup, so we are delighted to bring him to Sunderland.
"The Barclays Premier League is very different to the K-League, so there is hard work ahead, but you just have to look at players like Park Ji-Sung and Lee Chung-Yong to see how well Korean players are adapting to its pace and physicality."
Ji becomes the latest man from his country to try his luck in the Premier League alongside Manchester United's Park and Bolton's Lee.
The striker is relishing the chance to line up against his compatriots in the Premier League, but insists he will be giving no quarter.
He said: "I am so glad to be able to meet other Korean players on such a big stage, but there is no such excuse for the opponent. I will do my best to defeat them."
In the meantime, Ji faces the tasks of negotiating pre-season on Wearside, getting to know his team-mates and learning the language and all about his new home.
He admits that will take him some time, but he is hopeful the red and white faithful will soon see the best of him.
Ji said: "It will not be easy. I am enjoying the life and studying English. I hope I could be a member of this team within six months."
Bruce has made the attacking department his main priority this summer after losing Darren Bent to Aston Villa in January, Danny Welbeck to Manchester United following the end of his loan spell and Fraizer Campbell to a second knee injury which will sideline him for much of the new campaign.
He has not yet given up hope of persuading United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to part company with Welbeck once again, and could yet recruit again in that department.
The manager's latest acquisition is the fifth man to commit his future to Sunderland this summer after Ahmed Elmohamady, Wickham and free signings Keiren Westwood and Sebastian Larsson, who will join the club after their current contracts with Coventry and Birmingham respectively expire.
In addition, the Black Cats are close to sealing their swoop for Birmingham midfielder Craig Gardner as Bruce attempts to get the bulk of his new-look squad together ahead of next week's return to pre-season training.

Ji Dong-Wan Factfile

1991: Born in Jeju-do, South Korea on May 28.
2007-08: Has a brief spell on trial with then Premier League club Reading.
2010: January - Leaves Gwangyang Jecheol high school to join K-League side Chunnam Dragons.
November: Ends his first season with the Dragons having scoring seven goals in 22 league appearances. His team finished 10th out of 15 teams in the K-League.
2011: January - Scores four goals to help South Korea to third place in the 2011 Asian Cup, including a brace in his country's 3-2 third-place play-off victory against Uzbekistan. Ji also scored two goals in the 4-1 group stage win over India.
June 11: Ji scores in his last game for Chunnam Dragons.
June 30: Joins Sunderland on a three-year contract.