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Kim Ji-soo makes second Premier League appearance in Brentford's loss to Arsenal

Published: 02 Jan. 2025, 11:04

PAIK JI-HWAN
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Brentford center-back Kim Ji-soo [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Brentford center-back Kim Ji-soo made his second Premier League appearance on Wednesday, playing 15 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal.

The 20-year-old was brought on in the 75th minute at Gtech Community Stadium in London, with the score already at 3-1. This marks his second league appearance after his long-awaited Premier League debut on Dec. 27, 2024.

Kim has yet to be involved in league victory, as his debut game against Brighton & Hove Albion ended in a goalless draw.

In Wednesday’s fixture, Brentford opened the scoring through Bryan Mbeumo in the 13th minute. However, Arsenal equalized with a goal from Gabriel Jesus in the 29th minute, followed by second-half strikes from Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli, securing three points for the visitors.

Despite the defeat, the match represents progress in Kim’s career at Brentford. He has now made three appearances — two in the Premier League and one in the Carabao Cup — since being promoted to the first team ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Kim joined Brentford in July 2023 but spent the entire 2023-24 season with their B team. He was promoted to the first team last summer and made his debut in a Carabao Cup match against Leyton Orient on Sept. 17, 2024.

“This is fun,” Kim told Korean newspaper Sports Chosun after Wednesday’s match. “The level of nervousness and the quality of players are different from the league cup. Games are much faster-paced than I imagined.”

Kim is the first Korean center-back to feature in the Premier League. Previously, only three Korean fullbacks — former Tottenham Hotspur defender Lee Young-pyo, former Wigan defender Cho Won-hee and former QPR defender Yun Seok-yeong — have played in the league.

Brentford’s next match is against Southampton on Saturday.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]