The forward had to make a choice between the two clubs and Arsenal ended up winning
ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - JANUARY 4: Chu Young Park (R) and Ryo Miyaichi of Arsenal walk to the pitch before the Barclays Premier Reserve League match between Arsenal Reserves and Sunderland Reserves at London Colney on January 4, 2012 in St Albans, United Kingdom. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal left it late to seal the transfer(Image: David Price, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
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When Arsenal take on Lille this week in the Champions League, attention may turn to players like Gabriel or Nicolas Pepe who have turned out for both clubs. However, there's also the curious case of Park Chu-young, who had to choose between the two when he left Monaco in 2011.
On a personal level, the 2010/11 season was Park's best in Europe. He had scored 12 Ligue 1 goals but that wasn't enough to stop the team from the principality from suffering relegation.
A summer move looked inevitable and, for the longest time, Lille looked to be the likely destination. That was until Arsenal made a late play.
It was so late, in fact, that Park had to be convinced to leave the hotel room where he had been staying in between the two sections of his medical with Les Dogues.
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"We haven't had a telephone call, nothing," Lille chairman Michel Seydoux said of Park's disappearance. "From what we understand he could be at Arsenal."
Sure enough, Park moved to the Emirates Stadium for a fee of between £3-5million. It was the second time that summer that the Gunners had left Lille fans upset - they signed Gervinho from the club earlier in the window - and the forward himself would later open up on his decision.
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"I had to choose between Lille and Arsenal," the South Korea star said. "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 and I hope [the fans] will support me."
Sadly for Park, things didn't pan out quite as planned. He scored a memorable winner against Bolton in the League Cup during that first season but it would prove to be his only Gunners goal in just seven appearances.
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Lille's football club newly recruited player, Polish international striker Ireneusz Jelen (R) poses with his new jersey next to the club's president Michel Seydoux, on August 31, 2011 in Camphin-en-Pevele, during his official presentation. Jelen signed a one year contract with French champions Lille on August 30, 2011, filling the role they expected South Korean Park Chu-Young would assume until he suddenly opted to move from Monaco to Arsenal. AFP PHOTO PHILIPPE HUGUEN (Photo by PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP via Getty Images)
Lille signed Ireneusz Jelen after missing out on Park(Image: PHILIPPE HUGUEN, AFP via Getty Images)
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After loans at Celta Vigo, he left the club permanently in the summer of 2014. By then, the No.9 shirt he was handed upon his arrival had gone the way of Lukas Podolski.
After playing for his country at the 2014 World Cup, Park spent a decade back in Asia. After a brief stint in Saudi Arabia, he returned to his native country with FC Seoul and finished his career with Ulsan HD.
Lille were compelled to hunt for alternative attacking reinforcements after losing out on Park, with Polish international Ireneusz Jelen arriving late in the transfer window and struggling to establish himself. Nevertheless, they enjoyed greater success the following summer, with Salomon Kalou signing from Chelsea and scoring 30 goals across two Ligue 1 seasons.