"YANG would have been kicking himself if he had gone to Birmingham!" Celtic FC, which sent Yang Hyun-joon away, faces a crisis with four games missed... BBC also reports "must accept significant loss in squad strength"

*This content was translated by AI.

Celtic FC is worried about the void left by Yang Hyun-joon (24), who departed for the Asian Games.

On the 6th (Korea time), the UK's BBC reported, "With Yang Hyun-joon absent due to participation in the Asian Games, Celtic FC faces a significant loss in squad strength."

The media stated, "In January last year, Yang Hyun-joon was on the verge of transferring to Birmingham City. However, after manager Martin O'Neill took charge, he remained with the team and subsequently scored crucial goals, leading the club to a league and cup 'double' title victory. This summer, he signed an extension contract with the club through 2030."

As such, Yang Hyun-joon is continuing his strong form from last season into this one. After scoring his first goal of the season against Aberdeen on the 2nd, he netted the winning goal in a match against St Mirren on the 5th, leading his team to a 2–1 victory.

He has recorded two goals and one assist in seven appearances this season, expanding his influence within the team. His record from last season was ten goals and three assists. The media noted, "Wing attacks are extremely important in Celtic FC's tactics; had he not been called up for the Asian Games, Yang Hyun-joon would have firmly established himself as the starting left winger."

Captain Callum McGregor also acknowledged Yang Hyun-joon's performances. In an interview with 'Sky Sports', he said, "Yang Hyun-joon is a truly important player for the team. His absence is a significant loss, but I hope he performs well at the Asian Games."

Yang Hyun-joon will join the national team as a wildcard for Lee Min-seong-ho, who is participating in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. According to the Korea Football Association, Yang Hyun-joon is scheduled to join the national team on the 8th at a location in Japan.

Selected for the Korean national team, Yang Hyun-joon will compete in the Asian Games later this month in Japan, facing Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

As a result, Yang Hyun-joon will be absent from Celtic FC's next four matches. Celtic FC is set to face St Johnstone (league away), Rangers (League Cup quarterfinals away), Ferencvaros (Europa League home), and Rangers (league home) in succession.

Celtic FC plans to fill the void by utilizing substitute players. The media explained, "Sebastian Tunecki, a Tunisian national who was substituted into the match against St Mirren, is the primary alternative. Tunneki recorded one goal and one assist in this season's match against Dundee United, and scored eight attacking points last season. However, he left a sense of regret by missing an almost identical perfect opportunity to Yang Hyun-joon's scoring chance in the St Mirren match."

It further added, "While Celtic FC boasts a deep squad capable of replacing one national team player with another, it is expected that they will find it difficult to avoid a decline in performance due to Yang Hyun-joon's absence."

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*This content was translated by AI.