Bargain Middlesbrough transfer gamble failed in an epic way - he scored ZERO league goals | OneFootball

Lee Dong Gook is the record goalscorer in the K-League, but failed to score in the Premier League for Middlesbrough

Lee Dong-Gook is one of the most successful, recognisable footballers in South Korea - but his time in England was nothing short of a dud.

The striker made over 100 international caps for his country, and his 174 K-League goals place him atop the all-time top scorers list in the league's history.

However, sandwiched in between his time scoring goals for Pohang Steelers and Jeonbuk Hyundai, he spent some time in England for the then-Premier League outfit, Middlesbrough.

Boro brought in the then-27-year-old on a free transfer as his contract at Pohang Steelers was running down. He penned an 18-month deal with Gareth Southgate's side in January 2007.

But his time at the Riverside Stadium was short-lived and uneventful. When it was all said and done for the frontman, Dong-Gook's Middlesbrough stint was an unwanted stain on an otherwise legendary career.

Lee Dong-Gook's struggles at Middlesbrough were evident from the get-go

Boro were a perennial mid-table side in the top flight by the time Dong-Gook arrived at the club in January 2007, but his signing didn't do much to help propel the side back to the heights of Europe, which they experienced a few seasons prior.

The South Korean forward had to wait nearly two months to make his debut, after signing whilst he was in the final stages of his recovery from knee surgery, which had kept him out since April 2006.

He was unable to change games in the limited time he had on the pitch when he was substituted on, and he was largely ineffective in the few games he started, and he was substituted off at half-time on his first start in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.

He'd make just two more starts in the 2006/07 campaign, both in wins, but he didn't contribute to any of the four goals scored across the battles with Wigan Athletic and Fulham.

Dong-Gook's only full season in England was overshadowed by personal controversy, after he was banned by the Korean FA from playing for the international team for 12 months due to a late-night drinking spree in November.

Boro fans were probably aggrieved that the ban didn't extend to their side, as Dong-Gook was once again largely ineffective, making just five league starts and scoring no goals.

He did find the back of the net on two occasions in cup competitions, though, against League One side Northampton Town in the League Cup, and League Two's Mansfield Town in the FA Cup.

That season saw the Stags relegated to the Conference, and critics in the stands at the Riverside Stadium would argue that that was more akin to his level over in England rather than the top flight.

He was left out of the Boro squad for the final 12 games of the Premier League campaign and was released at the end of his contract in the summer of 2008, having failed to score a league goal from his 23 outings.

Lee Dong-Gook won't be remembered for his Middlesbrough run

Dong-Gook is a legend in South Korea, but it wouldn't come as a shock if he wanted any remembrance of his short time in England removed from his CV.

And many Boro fans will likely want to forget that he played for their club, too.

It was the second time he had tested himself in Europe, having made just seven appearances in Germany for Werder Bremen during the 2000/01 campaign. Like at Middlesbrough, he scored no league goals in the Bundesliga.

He'd spent over a decade playing back in the K-League for Jeonbuk Hyundai upon his departure from the Riverside, and played there until he was in his forties. He made 454 appearances, scored 209 times and netted the goals which placed him at the top of the goalscoring charts in the K-League's history.

Ultimately, that's how many in South Korea will remember the striker, rather than his uneventful time spent in Europe - the only saving grace for Boro was that they didn't pay a transfer fee for his services.