'EPL Korean Players at Risk of Zero' Has a Likely Candidate to Break the Trend; Oh Hyeon-gyu Aims to Break Son Heung-min's Transfer Fee Record

*This content was translated by AI.

With Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club of Hwang Hee-chan (30), being relegated to the English Championship (second tier) for the next season confirmed early, the likelihood of there being no Korean players competing in the English Premier League (EPL) next season has increased. Consequently, more attention is naturally focusing on whether Oh Hyeon-gyu (25, Besiktas) will join the EPL this summer.

On the 21st (Korean time), Wolverhampton was relegated to the second tier regardless of the results of the remaining five matches after West Ham United, ranked 17th, drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace in the EPL's 33rd round held at Selhurst Park in London, UK. Wolverhampton, sitting at the bottom of the table with 17 points (3 wins, 8 draws, 22 losses), cannot surpass 17th-place West Ham (33 points), the relegation survival line, even if they win all five remaining matches. This means Wolverhampton will drop to the Championship for the first time in nine seasons since the 2017-2018 season.

The relegation of Wolverhampton has also heightened the risk of having no Korean players in the EPL next season. This is because Wolverhampton was the only EPL club with a Korean player this season. While there are players such as Yang Min-hyeok (Coventry City), Park Seung-soo (Newcastle United U21), and Yoon Do-young (Dordrecht) whose parent clubs are EPL teams, considering their performance and young ages, they are highly likely to remain in the Championship, smaller European leagues, or reserve teams next season. Unless a player makes a surprise promotion to the EPL first team next season or Hwang Hee-chan transfers to another EPL club, there may be no Korean players competing in the EPL next season.

The player most expected to break this crisis is undoubtedly Oh Hyeon-gyu. This is due to his recent outstanding performances after joining Besiktas (Turkey), which have consistently fueled transfer rumors linking him to EPL clubs Manchester United and Tottenham. Oh Hyeon-gyu has continued his impressive form in the Turkish Super League, recording 6 goals and 1 assist in 10 matches since his transfer, totaling 7 goals and 1 assist in 11 matches. Adding his 10 goals and 3 assists recorded while playing for KRC Genk (Belgium) in the first half of the season, he has accumulated 17 goals and 4 assists this season. Both his goal tally and attacking points represent career highs, which is the background for the intense interest from EPL clubs.

Of course, it is unlikely that Besiktas will easily approve Oh Hyeon-gyu's transfer, given that less than half a season has passed since his move and he has quickly established himself as a key player. His contract runs until June 2029, leaving more than three years remaining. However, if EPL clubs propose a transfer fee that can shake Besiktas, the situation could change instantly.

Concrete transfer fees have already been mentioned. According to local Turkish media outlets Sabah and Aspor, Besiktas has set a minimum transfer fee of 40 million euros (approximately 6.95 billion won) for Oh Hyeon-gyu. This is more than double the 14th million euros (approximately 2.43 billion won) Besiktas paid to sign him, according to Transfermarkt. It is a higher amount than the 30th million euros (approximately 5.21 billion won) transfer fee when Son Heung-min moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Tottenham, and it ranks as the second-highest transfer fee for a Korean player, following Kim Min-jae's 50 million euros (approximately 8.68 billion won) move to Bayern Munich.

While this is certainly not a small amount, evaluations suggest that considering Oh Hyeon-gyu's performances and his age as he enters his prime as a striker, it is a level of investment that EPL clubs would find worthwhile. If Oh Hyeon-gyu demonstrates sufficient competitiveness at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America next June, the interest from EPL clubs could intensify further. If Oh Hyeon-gyu breaks Son Heung-min's transfer fee record and joins the EPL, it could also resolve the crisis of having no Korean players in the EPL.

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*This content was translated by AI.