Latics appeal to Lee

South Korean winger Lee Chun-soo is threatening not to return to Ulsan Hyundai Horang-I if the club do not do more to facilitate his desire to move to Europe.

Lee, who scored the winner with a sweetly struck free-kick in a friendly against Greece during the week, was offered a deal by Wigan after a successful trial with the club during the transfer window.

Initial reports suggested Lee turned down the offer after learning it was only a six-month deal, but the two-time World Cup veteran claimed upon his return to Korea that it was Ulsan who had blocked the transfer.

“I was willing to accept Wigan’s offer,” he said in Friday’s edition of The Korea Times. “There was miscommunication (between me and Ulsan).

“I hope we can figure out what was wrong and I will be successful if the opportunity comes again. Ulsan are currently training for the impending Korean league season in Turkey but Lee is considering not joining up with the rest of his team mates as he holds out for a move to Europe.

“When I will get back to the team is not important,” said Lee, who spent unsuccessful stints with Real Sociedad and Numancia in Spain after the 2002 World Cup.

“What’s important now is that the team shows its willingness to support me in moving to a European league. If the team can’t give that support, I might take six months off.”