Ibini helped Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors take out the title in Korea last year, joining former Central Coast Mariners teammate Alex Wilkinson as the only two Aussies to have ever won the competition in the Asian nation.
The World Game understands the winger, who has won two caps for the Socceroos, has interest from at least three A-League clubs, including newcomers Macarthur FC.
But the 27-year-old is also attracting offers from clubs in Saudi Arabia, Korea and Thailand and is keen to keep playing overseas.
“I’m just weighing up where is the best option for me and where I could maximize my ability and also give myself the best chance to reach my full potential,” Ibini told The World Game.
“I’m just weighing up the options now. I think it will be in and around Asia. At this point, I wouldn’t say I’m young, but I still feel I can try and test myself overseas.
“At the moment I’d love to be able to do that and if I still have that type of opportunity then it’s something I want to chase.”
Ibini joined Jeonbuk from UAE outfit Emirates Club in January last year. The forward made 11 appearances, scoring one goal and notching one assist in the K League 1 for the Nokseakjeonsa.
“Overall, winning the league is something special,” he said.
“To be able to have done it in another country is very special to myself and my family. I can’t complain – to win the league, but obviously individually I would have liked to have played more.
“If you ask any player, you want to play as many games as possible. But overall it was a great experience. Winning the league there is something I’ll remember forever as it’s always difficult to do, especially in Asia where it’s tough to be as a foreigner.
“To be able to have done that, I’m really proud. When I first got there I had a little bit of injury niggles, but I think that was just getting used to how everything is done – the fields, the weather, all those type of things.
“But once that happened at the beginning of the season I was fit and available. The body is all good now.
“Once I got over those little niggles - because they weren’t really serious injuries - but once I got over those niggles in the beginning I was fit and I finished the season fit.”
Ibini is currently back in Australia enjoying his off-season and visiting family.
“I’m just having a break now after the season in Korea,” he said.
“It’s nice to be back home. I’ve started to get back into doing some work as you don’t want to have too much time off.”
The former Central Coast Mariners and Sydney FC attacker is one of a number of Australians who have thrived in Korea in recent times.
Adam Taggart won the K League 1 Golden Boot in 2019 while the likes of Terry Antonis, Connor Chapman, Jason Davidson and Rashid Mahazi have all impressed in the country.
“The standard in Korea is definitely up there,” Ibini said.
“It’s a great competition, obviously other parts of the world don’t really fear or know about it too often.
"But I’m sure if we look in Australia when we’re in the Asian Champions League the Korean teams normally fare pretty well and go towards the knockout rounds.
“If you look just at that as an example you can see it is a good level. Terry Antonis I played against him and played with him since we were little children.
“So I had a great connection with him and I caught up with him once while we were over there. Then Taggart was on the same team as Terry, which was great for them, and Taggart was doing so well when Terry came in halfway through the season.
“It was good to have so many Australians in the league this past season.”
Ibini made his debut for Australia back in 2014 under Ange Postecoglou. The winger earned his first cap against the United Arab Emirates and then came off the bench in a friendly against Qatar.
He admits breaking back into the Socceroos fold is not something he is targeting specifically at the moment.
“Now it’s been some years since I’ve been in the Socceroos, I don’t really think of that too much,” Ibini admitted.
“Obviously it’s something that if you’re doing well, regardless of where you’re at then you’re always going to have the opportunity to be selected. Not that I really think about that.
“But if I was to go somewhere and be able to do well and play consistently, who knows what could happen from there.”
