'If I listen to my wife, will I end up at a prestigious team?' Hwang In-beom reveals the story behind his move to Porto: "60% of the transfer decision lies with my wife"

*This content was translated by AI.

Hwang In-beom (30), now wearing the jersey of Portuguese football powerhouse FC Porto, has explained the reasons behind his transfer.

On the 21st (Korean time), Porto officially announced that it had signed Hwang to a three-year contract running until June 2029. According to the club, the transfer fee is a base of 4.5 million euros (approximately 7.6 billion won) plus an option clause of 500,000 euros (approximately 900 million won), bringing the total potential value to 5 million euros (around 8.5 billion won).

Through the club, Hwang introduced himself: "I am a player who pours everything onto the pitch and constantly strives to exceed my limits in every training session and match."

He continued, "I am delighted to join one of the world's top clubs. I will do my utmost for Porto's victories and help elevate the reputation of this great club with its long history."

He also expressed his expectations and strong sense of responsibility toward his new team. He stated, "Porto won the league title last season and already has a squad full of excellent players thinking about next season. While I don't deny feeling some pressure, it's only natural for a big club like Porto to always aim for victory."

He also revealed his special affection for Porto, the city where the club is based. Hwang said, "I really love the city of Porto. Last Christmas, my family and I visited Lisbon and Porto. My wife told me she liked Porto more than Lisbon. She wasn't joking; she truly meant it."

He added with a smile, "I hold 40% of the decision-making power, while my wife holds the remaining 60%. That's why I am here now. After a long journey, I finally arrived here. At first, I was exhausted, but just stepping into Estádio do Dragão (the home stadium) revitalized me. I'm happy to be here and look forward to this new challenge."

Hwang In-beom made his professional debut with Daejeon Hana Citizen (formerly Daejeon Citizen) in the K League 1. He has since played for Vancouver Whitecaps (USA), Olympiacos (Greece), Crvena Zvezda (Serbia), and Feyenoord (Netherlands) before settling at Porto.

In the first group stage match of the recently concluded 2026 CONCACAF Nations League against Czech Republic (a 2-1 victory), where he recorded one goal and one assist to lead South Korea's only win, Hwang now embarks on a new challenge under the leadership of young coach Francesco Parisoli, born in 1989.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.