Al Ain newboy Lee Myung-joo has his eyes on making history with the Garden City club.

The South Korea international midfielder was last night unveiled alongside loan signing Rashed Essa, having put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Boss.

He arrives in Al Ain for a reported Dh14.5 million — a record for a K League player — and is keen to repay that fee with his performances on the pitch.

“I am very honoured to come and play football with the most successful team in the UAE,” he said. “My goal here is to become the most beloved player at Al Ain. To become that player I will give 100 per cent in training and outside.” 

Lee, who replaces Alex Brosque as the club’s Asian player, was omitted from his country’s squad for the upcoming World Cup despite his blistering form in 2014.

The midfielder has appeared nine times for Korea since making his debut last June, and has played a pivotal role in Pohang’s rise to the top of the K League standings.

However, the former Korean Rookie of the Year is confident his move to the UAE will not affect his chances of winning a recall to Hong Myung-Bo’s side.

“Just like how I did in Pohang, if I perform well then the door for selection for the Korean national team is always open,” he explained. “So if I continue to play well here in the UAE then I believe I will definitely get selected for the national team. 

“I have to get used to the football here in the UAE and Al Ain, that’s the first thing I have to do.”

Al Ain board member Mohammed Obaid Al Dhaheri revealed that Lee had been on the club’s radar for some time, and following the decision not to extend Mirel Radoi’s contract he had become their No1 target to replace the Romanian at the base of their midfield.

“We have been monitoring Lee for more than a year and he became a target after we discussed with coach Zlatko Dalic,” Al Dhaheri added. 

“We decided he is probably, next to Omar Abdulrahman, one of the best and most promising players in Asia.”

Meanwhile, UAE international Essa completed his 12-month loan move from Al Wasl and immediately thanked his new club for their faith in him, following two injury-interrupted seasons.

“The care I’ve received from Al Ain after my injury is the biggest motivation for me to do my best,” the winger said.