Hearts could be Lee Seung-woo's path back to Europe

Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian has reportedly made an official offer to Suwon FC striker Lee Seung-woo, opening the door for the former Barcelona prospect to return to Europe after a nine-month hiatus in Korea.

Lee Seung-woo [SUWON FC]

Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian has reportedly made an official offer to Suwon FC striker Lee Seung-woo, opening the door for the former Barcelona prospect to return to Europe after a nine-month hiatus in Korea.

According to multiple reports, Edinburgh club Hearts have tendered a formal offer to Lee, who has played this season with Suwon in the K League.

Lee returned to Korea in November last year after his contract with Belgian club Sint-Truiden was terminated, leaving him without a European club for the first time since he was 12 years old. On Dec. 3 he signed with K League club Suwon FC, joining the domestic league for the first time in his career with his own hometown team.

Lee is a product of the Barcelona football academy and was once considered a footballing prodigy touted as the “Korean Messi.”

But despite a strong youth career — Lee appeared for Korean youth teams across a number of tournament and was MVP of the 2014 AFC U-16 Championship — Lee’s transition to the adult game has not been smooth.

After years in the Barcelona academy, the closest Lee got to the top flight was a single appearance with the B team before he moved to Hellas Verona on a four year deal.

That move made Lee one of the only Koreans to make it to Italy’s Serie A, but again it was short lived. In two years with Verona, Lee made 37 appearances, scoring only twice.

In 2019, Lee joined Belgian side Sint-Truiden. In Belgium, he was given even fewer opportunities, making his debut four months after he joined the club.

Lee spent most of last year on loan to Portuguese side Portimonense, where he made just six appearances.

When Lee returned to Suwon in December last year he had a lot to prove, but he quickly rose to the challenge. In 20 games with Suwon so far this season, Lee has scored 10 goals and picked up two assists.

Hearts is the oldest and most successful football club in Edinburgh. After finishing the 2021-22 Scottish Premiership season in third place, Hearts qualified for the UEFA Europa League qualifiers this season.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]