Hee-chan Hwang's (Wolverhampton) place is becoming increasingly limited. The fact that he was not only benched for the entire 90 minutes but also excluded from the match roster suggests that he has effectively fallen to third choice or lower. With the summer transfer window approaching, the shadow of parting is growing.

Wolverhampton suffered a 0-2 defeat in the 36th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League against Brighton, held at the Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on the 10th (Korea time). As a result, Wolverhampton has fallen to a two-match losing streak and remained in 14th place in the league.

In the first half, Wolverhampton led in possession (60%) and number of shots (8), but the team managed only two on target. Brighton found the net with just one effective shot. In the 28th minute of the first half, Welbeck converted a penalty kick earned from a foul by Cunha inside the box, giving Brighton the lead.

In the second half, Wolverhampton's momentum dwindled even further. The team attempted only two shots, while Brighton increased the intensity of their attacks. In the 39th minute of the second half, Grudda scored a second goal with a lob shot during a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper after receiving a through pass from Adingra.

And there was no sign of Hee-chan Hwang anywhere on the ground. He was not included in the bench or the match roster.

Coach Vitor Pereira provided an explanation regarding Hwang's exclusion in an official press conference before the match. He noted, "Hee-chan Hwang has been dealing with a minor injury recently and has not been able to train at 100%. It's not a matter of his quality, but at the moment, Larsen is scoring, so there is a priority in selection."

However, the striker for that day's match was not Larsen. Larsen started on the bench, while the player named in the starting lineup was Gonçalo Guedes, who has scored only two goals in the league this season. Despite fielding Guedes, whose performance has not been prominent, Hwang was overlooked.

After the match, Coach Pereira stated, "In the last match, I used Cunha as a striker, but I deemed it a failure. Larsen is not fully fit yet, so I kept him on the bench, which is why I started Guedes."

Currently, Hee-chan Hwang is at least third choice among the striker options. Even if you combine his total playing time over the last five matches, it is only 12 minutes. Expanding the scope to the last eight matches, it still only totals 28 minutes. He has effectively been completely excluded from rotation.

Questions about his future are also being raised locally. Liam Keen, a journalist specializing in Wolverhampton, appeared on a regional media podcast 'E&S' and noted, "Hee-chan Hwang nearly completed a transfer to Olympique Marseille last summer," and added, "This season has not lived up to expectations, and Hwang may push for a transfer rather than stay at Wolverhampton."

Wolverhampton and Hee-chan Hwang still have a contract, but the current situation is effectively heading toward 'farewell.' If he continues to be denied playing opportunities even as the season draws to a close, and is repeatedly excluded from the roster, a transfer seems inevitable. Especially as competitors in his position continue to gain opportunities, the reality of being overlooked increases that possibility.

Hee-chan Hwang has shown ample potential in the Premier League. His strong penetration, straight-line breakthrough ability, and spatial awareness have been advantages suited for the Premier League, and until last season, he was a crucial part of the team's offense. However, this season, due to injuries, a decline in fitness, and systematic tactical changes, he has been gradually losing his place.

Now, the important thing is the decision. There are ongoing suggestions that it is time for him to move to a stage where he can secure playing opportunities instead of waiting for chances from the bench. It appears that Hwang’s chapter at Wolverhampton is coming to a close.

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