Park snubs Lille for Gunners

Arsenal will complete the signing of South Korea captain Park Chu-Young from Monaco on Monday.

Park passed the second part of his medical at Arsenal’s London Colney training ground on Sunday and has agreed personal terms after the Premier League club dramatically stole him from French champions Lille on Saturday morning.

“I had to make a decision between Arsenal and Lille. And the decision had to be what I want and won’t regret,” the 26-year-old striker said on arriving at Incheon Airport in Seoul on Monday to prepare for South Korea’s World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on Tuesday week.

Park’s move to Arsenal, which will cost an initial fee of around three million pounds, has been endorsed by Cho Kwang Rae, the national team manager.

“He (Park) will playing many games in the EPL, he will be able to grow into a better player. It might be helpful for the national team,” Cho said.

Park did not show for the second part of his medical on Saturday morning after undergoing the first part on Friday afternoon.

Lille officials discovered that his hotel room was empty, with not a word about where he had gone, and tracked him down at the Eurostar terminal, where Park told them he was heading for London to sign for Arsenal.

Park’s u-turn has left a sour taste at the French club, who had fully expected to unveil him at the weekend after all but finalising the player’s move back to Ligue 1 from Ligue 2, where Monaco were relegated last season.

How long Park will be at Arsenal is unclear, as all able-bodied men in South Korea must begin military service for the country’s armed forces before the age of 28.

Unless the darling of the national team is excused service, he will have to leave Arsenal in 2013.