Hwang Hee-chan faces career crisis at Wolverhampton with limited playing time

Hwang Hee-chan (29, Wolverhampton Wanderers) has been struggling to get playing time. The likelihood of him leaving the team this coming summer is increasingly growing.

On the 10th (Korea time), Wolverhampton lost 0-2 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the 36th round of the Premier League (PL) 2024-2025 season at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England.

On that day, Hwang Hee-chan did not play a single minute. He was excluded from the lineup altogether because he did not even sit on the bench. In the previous round against Manchester City, he was substituted in at the end of the second half and played for about 5 minutes, but this time he had to watch his teammates lose from outside the field.

This situation was somewhat anticipated. Coach Vitor Pereira openly declared that there was no place for Hwang Hee-chan. He responded during a pre-match press conference, saying, "Jørgen Strand Larsen is scoring. Hwang Hee-chan is a striker. Of course, he can also play as a forward, but in our system, he is a striker. And Larsen is scoring in that position. We do not use two strikers, and so far there has been no place for Hwang Hee-chan. This is football."

He also noted, "It's not a question of Hwang Hee-chan's ability. Because he is a talented player and a different type from Larsen," adding, "If a striker is not playing matches or has limited playing time, it is hard for them to gain confidence. Additionally, Hwang Hee-chan suffered a minor injury during training, so he was not at 100%. Given that Larsen is scoring, we have to observe (Hwang Hee-chan's opportunities). But he is a very good player."

Ultimately, this means that Hwang Hee-chan cannot be given opportunities at this time. Since Coach Pereira stated this publicly, it can be seen that his plans are very firm. His exclusion from the lineup for the Brighton match can also be interpreted in this context.

Hwang Hee-chan is having a tough season. Until last season, he was a key player for Wolverhampton. He formed a three-top with Matheus Cunha and Pedro Neto in the 2023-2024 season, scoring 12 goals and providing 3 assists in 29 Premier League matches. Hwang Hee-chan achieved the most goals in the team and a personal career high and signed a four-year contract extension with Wolverhampton during the season.

Last summer, there were offers from France. Roberto De Zerbi, who was newly appointed at Marseille, had his eye on Hwang Hee-chan during his time in the Premier League and even sent an official offer. At that time, persuaded by De Zerbi's proposal, Hwang Hee-chan also requested a transfer to the club. However, Wolverhampton chose to keep Hwang Hee-chan, shouting 'NFS (Not for sale)' despite receiving a £21 million (approximately 39.1 billion won) offer.

But now, Hwang Hee-chan is in the worst crisis since entering the Premier League. He has faced severe difficulties from the start due to consecutive injuries and changes in his role, which has pushed him out of competition. It wasn't until December last year that he scored his first goal. Hwang Hee-chan thought he was making a comeback, scoring consecutive goals against Manchester United and Tottenham, but he was pushed back to a substitute role again.

As of now, with only two matches remaining in the 2024-2025 season, Hwang Hee-chan's record stands at 24 official matches, 2 goals, and 1 assist. In the Premier League, he has only started in 5 matches, with 15 appearances as a substitute. Wolverhampton fans are already turning their backs on Hwang Hee-chan. Since last fall, there have been growing calls to sell him quickly.

Following the dismissal of Gary O'Neil and the arrival of Coach Pereira, the situation did not improve. Instead, the tall striker Larsen, who shook off his injury, has been performing brilliantly with 13 goals and 3 assists in 35 matches, further limiting Hwang Hee-chan's opportunities. Hwang Hee-chan's continuous absence due to various injuries has also been an issue.

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

The media also added, "Hwang Hee-chan has only appeared three times in the last two months. This contrasts sharply with Larsen's impressive performance, as he scored an astonishing 6 goals during the same period. Pereira acknowledges that this is a major reason for Hwang Hee-chan's lack of opportunities and has been a significant blow to him."

For Hwang Hee-chan, this summer may be the right time to take on a new challenge. Already, there have been ongoing discussions in the UK about the possibility of selling Hwang Hee-chan. Liam Keane, a journalist well-informed on Wolverhampton news, mentioned in March, "I feel that a natural separation from Hwang Hee-chan may come relatively soon. He will want to be happy."

'Molineux News' also addressed the possibility of Hwang Hee-chan's transfer. This medium, which described his poor performance as 'terrible', stated that "Given Pereira's recent comments, it is clear that not only Cunha is ready to leave Molineux Stadium (Wolverhampton's home), but Hwang Hee-chan is also heading towards leaving Wolverhampton." The report emphasized that "Hwang Hee-chan's market value has declined throughout the season. He was even sitting on the bench in a match against Leicester City, despite Pereira using all 6 of his substitution cards. This was a strong indication of where Hwang Hee-chan's future lies."

Furthermore, Molineux News highlighted, "Wolverhampton will regret not selling Hwang Hee-chan for £21 million. When Wolverhampton signed him from RB Leipzig in 2022, they paid £14 million (about 26 billion won). They likely made some profit last season. However, now they may need luck to recover the transfer fee they invested in him. This explains how disastrous Hwang Hee-chan's season has been."

Ultimately, the transfer fee will be a key factor. Some teams are still known to be interested in Hwang Hee-chan. Depending on how much Wolverhampton demands for the transfer fee, there is a significant possibility that his future will change. Hwang Hee-chan's contract runs until June 2028, giving Wolverhampton the leverage in negotiations.

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