Hunt for Asian bargains

A series of successful deals with South Korean and Japanese players like Park at Man U and Kagawa at Dortmund have convinced Europe's wealthy soccer clubs to sniff around for young talent in the region

Europe's wealthy soccer clubs are sniffing around the hottest young talent in Asia as they scour the worldwide transfer market for prospects that will not break the bank. With many top sides baulking at hugely inflated prices for European players, clubs are realizing there are still plenty of bargains to be had in Asia, which remains largely untapped despite some high-profile exports.

The success of Park Ji-sung at Manchester United and Shinji Kagawa at Borussia Dortmund, and Japanese star Keisuke Honda's exploits at CSKA Moscow have convinced European clubs that Asians can deliver.