Despite intense speculation that he is on his way to Celtic, Kwon Hyeok kyu played today for Buson Ipatk as they lost 3-2 at home to Seingnam.
The midfielder was the subject of interest in January but over the last couple of days it has been reported almost as a done deal that he was on his way to Celtic.
Oh Hyeon-gyu did join the hoops in January after protracted negotiations with Suwon Samsung Bluewings, that deal seems to have paved the way for further business in South Korea even though Kwon is playing in the Second Division of the K-League.
BREAKING! Kwon Hyeok kyu Celtic transfer confirmed by Busan IPark managerhttps://t.co/YOU3JFFVld pic.twitter.com/9dHrf5GIrf
— Scottish Sun Sport (@scotsunsport) July 16, 2023
CLICK HERE for details of Buson IPark 2-3 Seongnam
The 22-year-old has started 19 of Buson’s 20 league matches this season, scoring twice and picking up four yellow cards from his defensive midfield berth.
That area of the park proved to be something of a problem during Ange Postecoglou’s time at the club. Initially Ismaila Soro and James McCarthy were tried in that role with Yosuke Ideguchi and Oliver Abildgaard also used before Aaron Mooy excelled for a few months in tandem with Callum McGregor.
A second holding midfielder is rarely needed domestically but in Europe additional protection is required for the central defenders.
Odin Thiago Holm has been signed from Valerenga to bolster the midfield but like Kwon he will find it difficult to break into a midfield where McGregor, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley look like the first picks.
Last season there were a few heavy concentrations of fixtures but in the 23/24 campaign there is only one midweek SPFL round of fixtures before December which is rammed with seven sets of fixtures plus one Champions League midweek fixture.
Kwan has been capped by South Korea upto u-23 level but has yet to get a full cap, CLICK HERE for Transfermarkt profile.
