Hwang Hee-chan (29), effectively sidelined at Wolverhampton, received a love call from Birmingham City in England's second division, but the realities posed a high barrier.
Birmingham World reported on the 15th (Korean time), "Birmingham has prioritized Hwang Hee-chan as their top transfer target. They have recently been focusing on acquisitions aimed at the East Asian market, and have actually brought several Asian players into the first team, including Baek Seung-ho, Iwata Tomoki, Fujimoto Kanya, and Furuhashi Kyogo. However, it is not easy due to transfer fees and salary issues."
Hwang Hee-chan recorded a career-high with 13 goals and 3 assists in 31 appearances during the 2023-24 Premier League season, earning the title of "Wolverhampton's ace." However, the current situation is entirely different. Frequent injuries and a mid-season coaching change from Vitor Pereira drastically undermined his position.
In the end, he left a bittersweet scorecard with just 2 goals and 1 assist in 25 official matches. At this point, there is an assessment that he has no place at Wolverhampton. However, the actual realization of the transfer faces high barriers. Hwang Hee-chan is under a long-term contract with Wolverhampton until 2028 (including a club option for one more year).
In a particular season, he received a transfer fee offer of around 21 million pounds (39 billion won) from the prestigious French club Marseille. This amount significantly exceeds the highest transfer fee record in Birmingham's history. His salary is also at 3.64 million pounds (approximately 6.7 billion won) per year, which is three times the current highest salary at Birmingham.
"Birmingham Live" and local media unanimously diagnosed, "Realistically, Hwang Hee-chan's transfer is impossible. Both the transfer fee and salary exceed the club's limits." While hopes were high for a reunion with Baek Seung-ho and rapid "adaptation," the official gestures from Birmingham are still in a difficult state.
With several Asian talents already on the first team, the atmosphere leans towards financial stability rather than additional investments. Hwang Hee-chan, who was pushed down in competition within Wolverhampton, which was assessed as the weakest among the teams that practically remained in the Premier League last season, finds himself listed in the transfer market. However, facing the cold reality that he is "too expensive for a Championship team," the outcome of the summer transfer market remains uncertain.
However, the 2025-2026 season presents various issues, including a World Cup, making changes necessary for Hwang Hee-chan. After a stellar year, Hwang Hee-chan has suddenly found himself sidelined. At this critical juncture in his football career, both Hwang Hee-chan's choices and the market’s decisions will be closely watched.
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