KI SUNG-YUENG is keen to play for South Korea in next year’s Asian Cup - even though it would mean him missing a month of the Premier League season.

The Newcastle United midfielder won his 106th cap when he helped South Korea claim a 2-0 friendly win over Costa Rica on Friday night, and has previously suggested he is considering calling time on his international career as he prepares to turn 30 at the start of next year.

He remains an important part of the South Korea set-up though, and Paulo Bento made a point of holding one-on-one discussions with the midfielder after he was appointed as the Asian nation’s new head coach in the wake of this summer’s World Cup finals.

Those talks appear to have persuaded Ki to continue playing for his country for at least another six months, with next year’s Asian Cup forming a key part of his thinking.

The tournament is due to take place in the United Arab Emirates between January 5 and February 1, and with participants able to call up players a week before the competition begins, Ki could miss up to five Premier League matches and two FA Cup games if South Korea make it all the way to the final.

Japan have also qualified for the competition, so Newcastle could also be without Yoshinori Muto for up to a month at the start of next year.

“My mind hasn’t changed, and I expressed my thoughts to the new head coach,” said Ki, who will return to action when South Korea host Chile in another friendly later today. “Playing with a foreign club, I do feel pressure travelling to my home country.

“It’s not about my physical condition. I had doubts whether I can devote myself 100 per cent to the national team, and I’ve had serious discussions about this with seniors around me.

“But Bento first told me to stay with the national team. If the team needs me, then I think it’s right for me to play with my team-mates through to the Asian Cup.”

Newcastle defender Fabian Schar will be part of the Switzerland side that take on England at Leicester City's King Power Stadium tomorrow night.