South Korea defender Cha Du-Ri seals Celtic switch
Du-Ri has signed a two-year deal with the Scottish Premier League club
Celtic have completed the signing of South Korea right-back Cha Du-Ri, subject to a work permit.
The 29-year-old has signed a two-year deal with the Scottish Premier League club and is manager Neil Lennon's second recruit of the close season.
He starred for South Korea at the World Cup before they lost to Uruguay in the last 16 of the tournament.
Du-Ri, who was with Freiburg last season, also spent spells at Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz and Koblenz.
The right-back, who was a free agent after leaving the German club in the summer, arrived in Glasgow on Wednesday ahead of undergoing a medical.
Lennon said he had been watching Du-Ri for a while and has added him to the club alongside left-back Charlie Mulgrew.
Nicknamed "The Human Weapon", Du-Ri also played in the 2002 World Cup, but as a forward, and has since converted to defence and is now noted for his willingness to join attacks.
Celtic already have Andreas Hinkel and Mark Wilson as cover at right-back, but Lennon has been suitably impressed by the player who has 50 international caps.
Even in Germany, people talk about the Old Firm game, so to actually play in one would be amazing
Cha Du-Ri
Speaking soon after arriving in Glasgow, the defender said: "I am excited about playing for Celtic and living in Glasgow.
"Celtic are a big club and have a good chance of winning trophies and I really want to play in a Glasgow derby.
"Even in Germany, people talk about the Old Firm game, so to actually play in one would be amazing."
Du-Ri has previously played for Bayer Leverkusen, Arminia Bielefeld, Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz.
The Frankfurt-born player was given his international debut by Guus Hiddink and was mainly used as a substitute at the 2002 World Cup while still a student, where his only start was in the semi-final against Germany.
Left out of the squad for the 2006 World Cup, he switched position to right-back, but remained outside the Korean set-up during two seasons with Koblenz in the German Second Division.
He returned to the Bundesliga with Freiburg last summer, and his consistent form saw him called up for last October's friendly with Senegal.
His father, Cha Bum-Kun, is arguably Korea's greatest player, with 121 caps and captaining the side at the 1986 World Cup, before coaching them at France '98.
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