Transfer Rumors Surround Hwang Hee-chan Locally After Missing Wolverhampton's Championship Opener

Amid reports that South Korean national football team forward Hwang Hee-chan sat out Wolverhampton Wanderers' season opener in the English Football League Championship, local media have raised the possibility of a transfer.

Hwang was left off the roster for the opening home match of the 2026-2027 Championship season against Blackburn Rovers held today (August 15, Korean time) at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England.

Wolverhampton was relegated after finishing at the bottom of the 20, English Premier League (EPL) teams last season, entering this season in the Championship.

Having dismissed manager Rob Edwards in June while preparing for the new season, Wolverhampton is currently led by Portuguese manager Cesar Peixoto.

Hwang, whose contract with Wolverhampton runs until 2028, had faced uncertainty regarding whether he would remain with the team following relegation.

Having been excluded from both the League Cup (Carabao Cup) first-round match against League Two side Port Vale on August 7 and the regular-season opener, a departure appears increasingly likely.

After hitting his prime during the 2023-2024 season by scoring 12 goals in the EPL for Wolverhampton, Hwang saw his momentum slow due to frequent injuries, managing only two league goals in both the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 seasons.

On this day, British outlet Football Insider reported that "Wolverhampton has placed Hwang on the transfer market following relegation, and Hwang is also interested in a move after enduring a difficult couple of seasons at the club."

The outlet added, "Hwang was linked with a transfer to Crystal Palace (EPL) a year ago, but Crystal Palace is understood not to have plans to make an official offer for him at present," while noting, "It remains to be seen whether Wolverhampton will find a club to sign Hwang during the final weeks of the transfer window."

Peixoto also revealed in an interview with a local media outlet that Hwang is currently training with the Under-21 (U-21) team, suggesting he has effectively been classified as out of the plans.

Wolverhampton drew 2-2 with Blackburn Rovers on this day, kicking off their Championship campaign with one point.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.