When Hong Hyun-seok strikes, Cho Gue-sung thunders! The 'national team duo' is about to be formed in Denmark... Hong Hyun-seok narrowly misses becoming a 'stranger,' but dramatic joining of Midtjylland is imminent.

*This content was translated by AI.

Hong Hyun-seok (27) is set to leave German Bundesliga club Mainz and join Danish Superliga side Midtjylland in a transfer.

On the 2nd (Korean time), Dennis Bayer of German Sky Sports exclusively reported via his personal social media that "a club-to-club agreement for Hong Hyun-seok's move to Midtjylland has been completed, involving a loan deal with an option for a full transfer worth several million euros."

Local Danish outlet Tipsbladet also reported on the same day that "Hong Hyun-seok is expected to arrive in Denmark shortly for medical tests and final contract signing," confirming the imminent transfer.

This move represents a crucial opportunity for Hong Hyun-seok to rebound in his career. As the key figure behind South Korea's gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, Hong joined Mainz from Belgian club Genk in 2024 to enter Europe's top leagues. However, he struggled to secure a starting spot, managing only about 15 minutes of substitute appearances without showcasing his strengths. He was later loaned to French club Nantes but had his contract terminated after just half a season. Even after returning to his former team Genk, he continued to underperform, ultimately missing out on World Cup selection amid these setbacks.

Even after the new season began, Hong remained classified as outside Mainz's core plans. Recently, efforts were made to transfer him to German 2. Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin. According to German outlet Sport Bild, he was identified alongside Swedish national team striker Gustav Nilsson as Hertha's top acquisition target, but negotiations stalled and the deal ultimately fell through.

Fortunately, in the final stretch of the transfer window, Midtjylland — seeking a replacement for injured midfielder Mikkel Duelund — actively pursued Hong, leading to his dramatic new destination.

Midtjylland is a club very familiar to Korean football fans as a "Korea-friendly" team. Current national team striker Cho Gue-sung is currently thriving as the club's star forward. Defender Lee Han-beom, formerly of FC Seoul, also adapted at Midtjylland before emerging as a key center-back and transferring this summer to Belgian powerhouse Club Brugge.

As Hong Hyun-seok emerges from a prolonged slump, attention focuses on whether he can reestablish his competitiveness in Europe by joining forces with Cho Gue-sung at his new club.

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*This content was translated by AI.