Row over Ahn’s transfer subsides

“If we confirm that Perugia is willing to allow Ahn’s transfer to another European club, we will accept Perugia’s offer,” Ahn Jong-Bok of Eplayers said.

His remarks came after Perugia offered through its lawyer to renegotiate Ahn’s contract and allow him to play for another European club. Ahn’s agent earlier claimed that Perugia had no right to negotiate his transfer as it failed to meet the June 30 deadline for the payment of $1.6 million to the striker’s Korean team Busan I.Cons. Ahn played for the Busan I.Cons before he was loaned to Perugia in July 2000 on a two-year, $2.5 million loan. Perugia has said it would immediately pay $1.6 million to Busan I.Cons to make the transfer permanent.

Perugia suspended Ahn’s wages after he failed to show for pre-season training session for the Italian Serie A league which starts late August. Perugia initially declared Ahn would not be welcome after his goal gave South Korea victory in the second round of the World Cup. The Italian club then softened its stance and took up an option to buy Ahn on a contract until 2005. The FIFA legal service notified the Korea Football Association last week that Perugia has Ahn for another three more years as he signed a five-year salary contract with the club, which overrules the two-year loan contract.