Celtic sold him to Swansea City for £6m - he's remarkably still playing at 37 | OneFootball

Ki Sung-yeung enjoyed a successful six years with Swansea after joining from Celtic in 2012, and the midfielder is still playing football now.

After an underwhelming few years, Swansea City will hope to push for a return to the Premier League this season under Vitor Matos.

The Welsh side have enjoyed a brilliant start, but the Swans chief will know that there is still a very long way to go, even if there have been encouraging signs.

In the long-term, Swansea’s aim will be to establish themselves back in the top flight, and, ultimately, to try and replicate the class of 2013 who secured a trophy for the club, even if that seems an unrealistic dream at this point.

Ki Sung-yeung made his mark in British football

All connected to that Swansea squad will be appreciated, and one player who was part of the group was Ki Sung-yeung.

The midfielder initially moved to Britain by joining Celtic from South Korean side FC Seoul, and Ki quickly became a popular figure at Parkhead.

He enjoyed a successful few years in Glasgow, helping the current champions to a league title and a Scottish Cup, and he was a good player in the green-and-white hoops, known for his excellent passing range and ability to score from distance.

During that period, Ki got a taste of Champions League football at Parkhead, and, of course, he played in some fierce derby games against Rangers.

Swansea City fans will always remember Ki Sung-yeung fondly

However, after two years in Scotland, Ki embarked on his next challenge, and he is most synonymous with British football fans for his time with Swansea, who agreed a £6m for the player.

As mentioned, he was part of the squad that lifted silverware by beating Bradford at Wembley, with Ki in the starting XI for Michael Laudrup’s side that day.

But, his Swansea story could’ve gone very differently, as Ki was sent to Sunderland on loan after a year with the club, and he had a decent season on Wearside in the Premier League.

Yet, he was back at the club for the 2014/15 season, and it was arguably the best of Ki’s career, as he scored eight goals in the top flight, which saw him named as Player of the Year.

Ultimately, he would go on to make 162 appearances for the club, and whilst his final season at the club ended in disappointment, as Swansea were relegated, he was a loyal servant over a six-year period.

After leaving Swansea, Ki joined Newcastle to remain in the Premier League, but he spent just two years with the Magpies, the second of which was hindered by injury, and he left for Mallorca, before returning to South Korea in 2020.

Ki Sung-yeung had a fantastic international career

As well as impressing in the English and Scottish leagues, Ki was an important player for his national team for a large chunk of his career.

He made his debut for South Korea in 2008, and his last appearance came in 2019, with Ki winning 110 caps in that period, scoring ten goals.

The high points for Ki will have been representing his nation at the World Cup, and he played on the biggest stage in 2010, 2014 and 2018, which included captaining South Korea in his final tournament in Russia.

In total, he made nine appearances in the World Cup, registering three assists, with the high point probably coming in 2010 when South Korea made it out of the group stage.

Following his retirement, Ki is in the top ten for all-time appearances, which is quite the achievement.

Ki Sung-yeung is still playing South Korea for Pohang

Swansea fans will be aware that Ki joined the club 14 years ago as a 23-year-old, and he left around six months before his 30th birthday.

Despite that, Ki is still playing football, with the midfielder currently at Pohang Steelers in South Korea.

Now 37, it’s a testament to his fitness and professionalism, and Ki continues to play regularly, as he has featured in 26 of their 30 games so far this season.

With Pohang in the top division, Ki clearly still has a lot to offer in his home country, and his team will be pushing for a top three finish this season.

All connected to Swansea will be pleased to see their former player is still loving the game, and it will be intriguing to see just how long he carries on before hanging up his boots, and what’s next for Ki when he does retire, as his Dad has had various roles in the game, including as a head coach.