WANDERERS remain confident they can keep hold of World Cup star Chung-Yong Lee despite reported interest from Hull City and Sunderland.

The South Korean winger has been repeatedly linked with a move back to the Premier League since the Whites dropped into the Championship but sources at the club insist there is no foundation to the reports that are currently circulating linking him with a move to the North East.

Chung-Yong is contracted to Wanderers until next summer and is no stranger to speculation, having been tracked by the likes of Stoke City, Everton and Wigan Athletic in the past.

But while his name has regularly cropped up in the gossip columns, Wanderers are yet to be seriously tested in terms of a bid for the talented 25-year-old.

South Korea kick-off their World Cup campaign against Russia tomorrow with many people suggesting that a successful tournament could inflate his value and attract a bidder from one of Europe’s top leagues.

But Wanderers are playing down the speculation and are planning on holding on to the former FC Seoul midfielder, signed for £2.3million in July 2009, for what they hope will be a push towards promotion next season.

Chung-Yong will be Korea’s vice captain at the World Cup and has won more than 50 caps for his country.

But the talented wide man has struggled for consistency since suffering a double fracture to his leg in a pre-season friendly against non league Newport County in 2011.

He played 47 games last season – and admitted fatigue had become an issue as he headed towards this summer’s tournament in Brazil.

“It has been tiring at times,” he said.

“It sometimes shows during the second half of some matches, I really do get tired.

“But that is something any player has to get over.”