Uphill Battle for Lee Dong-guk

Lee Dong-guk is facing fierce competition in his quest to become a starting member for his Premier League team Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough decided to offer a six-million-pound contract to Hossam Ahmed “Mido,” the 24-year-old Egyptian striker from Tottenham Hotspur yesterday. Mido is now going through medical checkups.

Engaged in uphill competition with Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni and French player Jeremy Aliadiere for playing time, Lee is faced with an even more uncertain future with the signing of Mido, one of Premier League’s top strikers.

Mido won the African Footballer of the Year Award in 2002 and played for AS Roma. He scored five goals in 23 matches in the Premier League for Tottenham last season. After his plan to transfer to Birmingham fell through due to differences over transfer fees, several football clubs, including Middlesbrough, rushed to sign him.

Tottenham lost to Everton, 1-3 in yesterday’s match held at White Heart Lane in London. Lee Yeong-pyo did not play because of an injury.

After losing to Sunderland, a newcomer to the Premier League under manager Roy Maurice Keane, 0-1 in its opening match on August 11, Tottenham suffered another defeat that day as most of its key defenders were not playing. It was a big setback for the team which was considered a dark horse for this season, as it spent a considerable sum to attract prominent players.

After Everton’s Joleon Lescott scored a goal three minutes after the match started, Tottenham’s Anthony Gardner made a goal. But Everton’s Leon Osman close-range shot and a deflected Alan Stubbs ball got the team’s second and third goals, respectively. Tottenham’s Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane, and newcomer Darren Bent all participated in the match as strikers, but failed to catch up with Everton.

Lee, a left wingback of the team, is likely to play starting with the match with Derby County on August 18.

bluesky@donga.com