Hwang Hee-chan (29, Wolverhampton Wanderers) is facing the biggest crisis of his Premier League career. Coach Vitor Pereira publicly declared that he cannot provide him with playing time.

The British 'Express and Star' reported on the 9th (Korean time) that "the Wolverhampton coach revealed the reason Hwang Hee-chan is struggling. Pereira acknowledged that Hwang Hee-chan is struggling to regain his confidence and that his opportunities are limited due to the team's situation."

Wolverhampton will face Brighton & Hove Albion in a Premier League (PL) home game on the 10th at 11 p.m. at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England. Recently on the rise, Wolverhampton is currently in 13th place with 41 points, while Brighton is in 10th place with 52 points.

Hwang Hee-chan is likely to start on the bench once again. When asked about Hwang Hee-chan's lack of playing time, Coach Pereira replied, "Jørgen Strand Larsen is scoring. Hwang Hee-chan is a striker. He can obviously play as a forward, but in our system, he is a striker. And Larsen is scoring in that position. We are not using two strikers, and so far, there hasn’t been a place for Hwang Hee-chan. This is soccer."

He also noted that "it’s not a matter of Hwang Hee-chan’s ability. Because he has great skill, and he is a different type compared to Larsen. If a striker doesn’t play or has little playing time, it’s difficult to regain confidence. Moreover, Hwang Hee-chan had a minor injury during training, so he wasn’t at 100%. Since Larsen is scoring, we need to watch (Hwang Hee-chan's chances). But he is a very good player."

Ultimately, this indicates that there is no situation where Hwang Hee-chan can be given an opportunity. Since the content was made public by Coach Pereira himself, it can be seen that his position is very firm. Unless there are changes due to Larsen’s injury or Hwang Hee-chan's remarkable performance after coming off the bench, it is very likely that the situation will not change.

In fact, Hwang Hee-chan is having a tough time this season. Until last season, he was active as the ace of Wolverhampton. He scored 12 goals and provided 3 assists in 29 Premier League matches while forming a three-top with Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto in the 2023-2024 season. Achieving the highest number of goals in the team and a personal career high, Hwang Hee-chan signed a four-year re-contract with Wolverhampton mid-season.

There were also love calls from France. Roberto De Zerbi, the coach of Marseille, had his eye on him and even sent an official offer. At that time, Hwang Hee-chan also requested a transfer from the club. However, Wolverhampton decided to keep Hwang Hee-chan, shouting 'NFS (Not for sale)'.

However, this season has taken a different turn. From the beginning, Hwang Hee-chan fell into severe decline due to successive injuries and role changes, and he was pushed out of the competition. It wasn't until December of last year that he finally scored his opening goal. Hwang Hee-chan appeared to be reviving by scoring in consecutive matches against Manchester United and Tottenham, but he went back down to being a substitute.

In the 2024-2025 season, Hwang Hee-chan's record is 24 matches, 2 goals, and 1 assist in official competitions. In the Premier League, he has only started in 5 matches, while appearing as a substitute 15 times. It seems that Wolverhampton fans have already turned their backs on Hwang Hee-chan. Voices calling for his quick sale have been growing since last autumn.

The situation did not improve even after Gary O'Neil was dismissed and Pereira took over as the new coach. Rather, the tall striker Larsen, who shook off his injury, has been performing remarkably with 13 goals and 3 assists in 35 matches, further limiting Hwang Hee-chan's chances. Hwang Hee-chan's continual absences due to injuries, both big and small, were also a problem.

The Express and Star noted that "Hwang Hee-chan has not been able to adapt to his rhythm this season, scoring only two goals in 20 Premier League matches. Due to a combination of minor injuries and poor performance, he managed to average about 32 minutes of play per match this season. His last start was on Jan. 15."

Additionally, the media added that "Hwang Hee-chan has only appeared three times in the last two months. This coincides with Larsen scoring an impressive 6 goals during the same period. Pereira acknowledges that this is a major reason for Hwang Hee-chan's lack of opportunities and has a significant impact on him."

Leaving Wolverhampton for a new challenge might be the answer. In England, the possibility of Hwang Hee-chan's sale has consistently been raised. Liam Keane, a journalist well-versed in Wolverhampton news, stated last March that "it feels like a natural parting with Hwang Hee-chan could come in the relatively near future. He will want to be happy."

'Molineux News' also reported that "looking at Pereira's recent comments, it’s not only Matheus Cunha who is ready to leave Molineux Stadium (Wolverhampton's home ground). Hwang Hee-chan is also heading towards leaving Wolverhampton."

The media continued, "Hwang Hee-chan's market value has fallen throughout the season. In the match against Leicester City, even though Pereira used all 6 substitute cards, he was still left on the bench. This strongly indicates where his future lies." Furthermore, they emphasized, "Wolverhampton will regret not selling Hwang Hee-chan for £21 million (about 39.1 billion won) last summer."

Keane also predicted that Hwang Hee-chan could request a transfer first. However, the transfer fee could be a stumbling block. Hwang Hee-chan's contract runs until June 2028, so there’s still a long way to go. If Wolverhampton aims to recover the £14 million (about 26 billion won) invested in him when they signed him in 2022, it could pose significant obstacles to a transfer.

[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (not to be reproduced or distributed without permission)

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