South Korean star Hwang Ui-Jo is currently eyeing a Premier League move after getting offers from three English teams.
Bordeaux forward Hwang Ui-Jo is waiting to seal his move to the Premier League after three clubs have approached him. Nottingham Forest, Wolves and Fulham have made their bids to the 29-year old South Korean star to play in English top flight.
Ui-Jo actually reached agreement with the two-time European Cup/Champions League winner Nottingham Forest last week. He was initially not pleased with the deal as The Tricky Trees appear to plan on loaning him to Olympiakos instead of letting him to fight for a spot in the line up. However, recently, he is reportedly considering it after being persuaded by his teammate playing for the Greek side, Hwang In-Beom. No wonder that he is still in Bordeaux expecting the next deals to be completed. Ligue 1 side, Brest also made their move to sign him but Ui-Jo prefers to find a new challenge in England.
Another South Korean Star Setting his Sights to Switch Side to Premier League
Hwang Ui-Jo’s Impressive Form
Ui-Jo’s spell in Bordeaux has been quite impressive. Since joining the recently relegated side from Gamba Osaka in the 2019/20 season, he has registered 29 goals and seven assists in all competitions. Apart from his debut season in Europe, where he only managed to notch up six goals and provided two assists in 26 games, the South Korean forward’s performance is fairly consistent. In 2020/21, he netted 12 times and made three assists. Then, last season, Ui-Jo could still bag eleven goals plus create double assists, including a hattrick in a 4-3 win over Strasbourg in January. Thus, it is not surprising that several potential suitors are willing to make him their new signing.
In the South Korean national team, the frontman who can be deployed as a winger, has earned 47 caps and scored 16 goals since he made his senior debut in 2015. Ui-Jo also made the cut as one of the overage players in South Korea U23 squad for the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games 2020 last summer. He bagged four goals but was unable to lead his team to the semifinal after being routed by Mexico 6-3 in the quarterfinals. Ui-Jo is currently a mainstay in the South Korea national team for this year’s World Cup, which will be his debut after missing out in Russia 2018.
The Future in Wolves, Fulham and Olympiakos
Ui-Jo’s future at either Wolves or Fulham is not likely to be quite easy. He would have to strive to get the nod from either Bruno Lage or Marco Silva to be the main frontman in the starting line-up. Both teams are merely looking for a figure to add up their squad depth in the 2022/23 season which will have congested fixtures before the World Cup kicks off in mid-November.
At Wolves, should his club not accept their new offer after rejecting their initial one, Ui-Jo will face a tighter competition for one of the two or three spots upfront in 3-5-2 or 3-4-3 formation. One place definitely belongs to Mexican international, Raul Jimenez. Interestingly, Ui-Jo will not only face off their new signing, Goncalo Guedes, Daniel Podence, Pedro Neto or Adama Traore, who spent six-month on loan in Barcelona last season. Instead his teammate on the national team, Hwang Hee-chan, would be a major competitor for a starting spot. He featured in 30 games last season and contributed five goals and one assist.
Meanwhile, in Fulham, the former Seongnam FC striker will definitely be the deputy for The Cottages main striker, Alexander Mitrovic. Marco Silva is often in favour of a 4-2-3-1 formation, which means Ui-Jo has to prove his quality as a super sub during the congested fixtures or when the Serbian international fails to break the deadlock in one of his games. That would probably turn the Fulham boss’ head and eventually name him in the starting line-up. His rival is practically less for number 9 spot. Yet, he will deal with fiercer competition if he is deployed on the wings. There have already been Bobby Cordova-Reid, Manor Solomon or Justin Kluivert, should the Dutchman seal his move before the closing of the transfer window this summer.
Last but not least, if Ui-Jo does end up playing for Olympiakos, he is likely to deputise the vice captain, Youssef El-Arabi, the first choice upfront. The South Korean forward is set to compete with Ahmed Hassan and Aboubakar Kamara.