Hwang Ui-jo still waiting as Wolves try to lowball Bordeaux: Reports

Hwang Ui-jo [NEWS1]

The Hwang Ui-jo transfer saga continues Monday with reports that Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers' initial offer for the Bordeaux top scorer was just 2 million euros ($1.5 million) with an additional 1 million euros if Wolves makes it to the UEFA Champions League.

The confusing offer, coming from a team that finished last season in 10th place and have made very few changes since then, falls dramatically short of the 7 million euros that Bordeaux reportedly think Hwang is worth.

The audacious offer comes as Bordeaux rush to sell Hwang after creditors accepted a restructuring plan that included the sale of assets, including some players. With Bordeaux very publicly on the ropes, clubs are likely to continue to submit lowball bids to see if they can get lucky.

Alongside Wolves, French clubs Nantes and Brest are both said to be interested, possibly along with one Premier League club and two Major League Soccer clubs. Hwang is said to prefer a move to the Premier League, but his preferences may not be enough if the clubs are not able to make a competitive offer.

Hwang has long been a transfer rumor favorite and is often suggested as an easy way for Bordeaux to make some much needed money.

In the summer of 2021, Hwang, who had been Bordeaux's top scorer in the 2020-21 season with 12 goals, was linked to clubs across Europe, with a last-minute deal with either an unnamed wealthy Russian club or Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon apparently falling through in the dying hours of the transfer window.

In January, Hwang was again expected to make a move, although a flurry of goals — including a hat trick against Strasbourg on January 23 — effectively closed that window.

With a Hwang deal now practically guaranteed, it is now just a case of Bordeaux accepting the right offer. The market is already heating up — U.S. club Minnesota United reportedly put in an offer of 5 million euros ($5 million), but were immediately rejected.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]