Park: I wasn't forced out

HE'S R'S ... Hoops have bagged Ji-Sung Park

JI-SUNG PARK arrived at QPR yesterday insisting: It was MY decision to quit Manchester United.

The midfielder ended his seven-year stay at Old Trafford by sealing a £5million switch to Loftus Road.

And after signing a two-year deal with Rangers, he denied he had been forced out of United by boss Alex Ferguson.

The South Korean star, 31, who may succeed Joey Barton as R’s skipper, said: “I was the one who said I wanted to leave the club because I’d had a great offer.

“I was the one who said it to Manchester United.

“It was a difficult decision because United are a good club and everybody wants to play there.

“But last season I didn’t play as much. I would still have had a good chance to play for Man United but QPR made me a very good offer and their ambitions and plans were interesting for me.

“That’s why I made the decision to leave. If QPR hadn’t explained their future I might have stayed.”

Park became the first South Korean to play in the Premier League when United signed him from Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven for £4m in 2005.

He repaid that fee by helping the club win four Premier League titles and the Champions League.

Park added: “It is a big step to leave United but it is important to understand this is about another challenge in my life.”