Express & Star journalist Liam Keen believes the Wolves “jumped the gun” when they completed the permanent signing of Hwang Hee-chan in January.
Hwang initially joined Wolves on loan from RB Leipzig last summer with an option to buy. However, after scoring five goals in the first half of the Premier League season, the club decided to move early to capture him in January rather than wait until the end of the season.
Speaking on the latest episode of the E&S Wolves Podcast, Keen shared his scepticism about the decision in January, saying: “I then, and still do feel that they jumped the gun on that, because I don’t really think there was any need, other than to give him a secure future and let him settle, which I can understand – but other than that, I can’t think of any reason, really, or any need to make that commitment to sign him up permanently when you’ve got the option of the summer, anyway.
“As we said in January, a lot can happen in the second half of a season. God forbid, he could have had a serious injury.”
TIF Thoughts on Hwang…
The £14.4m-valued South Korea international certainly made a great start to life at Molineux. He netted four goals in his first six games, and his signing looked like a stroke of genius. However, he has only managed one more strike since then, and has seen his playing time reduced as the campaign has progressed.
The club confirmed in January that they will permanently sign him, with them paying £11.9m. The money and the deal will only be processed at the end of the season, but as Keen says, it was still slightly premature to make the decision six months before it was needed.
Do you agree with Keen?
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Hwang’s best moments came at Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored 45 times in 126 games. However, he only found the back of the net three times in 29 Leipzig outings, and it seems he is struggling to perform on a regular basis. There is a player there, but it may take Bruno Lage a while to get the best out of him.