Park Ji-Sung cleared to link up with Red Devils

SOUTH Korean international Park Ji-Sung has been cleared to join Manchester United.

A hearing in Sheffield attended by Alex Ferguson granted the 24-year-old a work permit, leaving him free to link up for pre-season training with the Red Devils.

United had been forced to appeal an initial decision to refuse Park entry because he had not played 75% of his country’s internationals over the past two years.

However, as a senior figure within the Korean squad, who has been a regular starter with PSV Eindhoven for the past two seasons, the decision was swiftly overturned.

It is likely Park will be officially unveiled next week and could play in one of United’s early pre-season friendlies at Clyde on July 16 or Peterborough three days later.

Whether he plays in those fixtures or not, the E6million midfielder will definitely be in Ferguson’s squad for the four-match Far East tour at the end of the month, which takes in visits to Hong Kong, China and Japan.

And, after being given permission to miss Korea’s next World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia, he will also be available for the opening Barclays Premiership match of the new campaign, at Everton on August 13.