Perhaps the least expected transfer of the summer has been completed as Northern Ireland international Niall McGinn is moving to Korea to play for Gwangju FC.
McGinn was outstanding for Aberdeen last season but with his contract due to expire it was always known that he was going to move on, with several clubs in England reportedly interested in his services.
The likes of Bolton and Sheffield Utd expressed their interest, and understandably so as McGinn would have been a terrific signing for either club, but instead the former Derry City man opted for a new challenge.
A very new challenge. McGinn is boldly going where no Irish football has gone before as he will play in the K-League for Gwangju, and he took to Twitter to give a goodbye to the Aberdeen fans as well as explain his reasons for moving to Korea. Seemingly, the allure of the challenge and the research he did on the club have convinced him to get on board.
— Niall McGinn (@nmcginn10) July 4, 2017
I am absolutely delighted to have signed for Gwangju FC.
Since I met the club President a few weeks ago in Belfast I have been researching Asian football and Korean football in particular. I have been very impressed with what I have discovered.
This is a new, exciting challenge for me, one that is very different to anything I have experienced in my career to date.
When I joined Aberdeen in 2012 I had no idea of the great times that lay ahead.I want to thank Craig Brown, Archie Knox, Derek McInnes and Tony Doherty. I also want to thank all other staff at the club.
The fans at Aberdeen also deserve immense credit and thanks. They took me to their hearts and I took them to mine.
After five great years I am moving on but I will always remember my Aberdeen days very fondly. Without hesitation I can say that I will always be an Aberdeen fan.
I am looking forward to continuing my career at Gwangju FC. I am the first Irish player ever to have signed for a Korean club.
I will give this club the same effort and commitment I have given my other clubs to date and I'm sure I will pick up a few words of Korean along the way.
Fair play to him. He's opted for the chance to try something different when he had offers available, it's something we'd love to see more of.
McGinn's international opportunities are unlikely to be hindered as he is still an important player for Michael O'Neill, but the trip to Belfast for the international break is going to be a tad longer than the one-hour flight from Aberdeen to Belfast.
We wish him all the best, and we'll be keeping an eye out to see how he gets on.
