Park Chu-young reveals he snuck out of Lille hotel to seal last-minute Arsenal move

Park Chu-young has revealed he walked out on a Lille medical in the summer of 2011 to sign for Arsenal, leaving the French club’s chairman to piece together what had happened after finding his hotel room deserted.

The South Korea international had just scored 12 goals in 33 Ligue 1 appearances for Monaco in the 2010/11 season, attracting interest from reigning French champions Lille, who had already lost Gervinho to Arsenal earlier in the transfer window. Lille moved quickly, arranging a medical for Park — only for the forward to disappear mid-way through the process.

“We haven’t had a telephone call, nothing,” Lille chairman Michel Seydoux said at the time. “From what we understand he could be at Arsenal.”

Seydoux’s suspicion proved correct. Park completed a move to Arsenal for a fee reported to be between £3 million and £5 million — a figure that exceeded what Lille had agreed with Monaco — and the player later confirmed it had come down to a straight choice between the two clubs.

“I had to choose between Lille and Arsenal,” Park told Arsenal’s club media. “I wanted to choose without regret. It is a dream to be here and I am really proud to be an Arsenal player. Now I just want to show how good I am and prove myself. I will do my best, I will never give up, I will show heart, I will give everything.”

On the pitch, however, the move never delivered on its promise. Park made just one league appearance and six in all competitions during his debut season at the club, scoring once — against Bolton in the League Cup. He lost the No. 9 shirt the following summer when Lukas Podolski arrived, and loan spells at Celta Vigo and Watford followed before his time in European football came to an end in 2014.

Park was still selected for South Korea’s 2014 World Cup squad before returning to Asia, spending a year in Saudi Arabia and then playing out the remainder of his career with FC Seoul and Ulsan HD.

Lille, left scrambling after his departure, brought in Polish international Ireneusz Jelen as a late replacement. The two clubs now meet in the Champions League group stage, with Arsenal hosting Lille at the Emirates Stadium on 1 October 2024.