Birmingham City manager Chris Davies has confirmed that midfielder Paik Seung-ho will return to the club in a week, postponing shoulder surgery following his recent participation with South Korea in the World Cup.
Despite South Korea’s unexpected exit at the group stage, Paik started in all three matches and did not experience any issues related to his previously troublesome left shoulder. The 29-year-old suffered two dislocations last season—first against Middlesbrough in November, and again during a February match with West Bromwich Albion.
While Paik will eventually require surgery to address the shoulder instability, Davies believes the timing can be managed to suit the player’s preferences and career plans. “He’s back in a week on Monday,” Davies told BirminghamLive. “We haven’t discussed the shoulder surgery yet, so I presume we’ll look for the right moment during the summer.”
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Davies added, “If Paik felt he couldn’t continue, we would respect his wishes, but he’s shown resilience. He even played two weeks after his first dislocation. He’s robust and happy.”
Drawing a parallel, Davies cited teammate Kyogo Furuhashi, who played through a similar injury for several seasons before opting for surgery. “Next summer, Paik won’t have a World Cup to prepare for, so that might be an ideal time for the operation.”
If everything proceeds smoothly, Paik could return to action in time for Birmingham City’s final summer friendly against FC Barcelona, offering fans a hopeful glimpse of the midfielder back in form.