Gangwon clear path for Yang Hyun-jun to sign with Celtic

Gangwon FC confirmed Saturday that midfielder Yang Hyun-jun has signed with Scottish Premiership club Celtic, ending a weeks-long dispute after the club initially refused to release Yang this summer.

Gangwon FC bid farewell to outgoing midfielder Yang Hyun-jun in a photo posted on the club's social media channels on Saturday. According to Gangwon, Yang is set to join Scottish Premiership side Celtic. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Gangwon FC confirmed Saturday that midfielder Yang Hyun-jun has signed with Scottish Premiership club Celtic, ending a weeks-long dispute after the club initially refused to release Yang this summer.

Celtic have yet to confirm the move as of press time Monday.

“Yang Hyun-jun will bid farewell to Gangwon fans at the home game on Saturday,” the club said in a statement on the same day. “Celtic, a prestigious Scottish club, strongly hoped to recruit Yang this summer and Gangwon has permitted the transfer after much consideration.”

Yang has been in conflict with the club for weeks after he was blocked from transferring to Scottish Premiership side Celtic.

Celtic made an initial offer to Gangwon at the end of May, with the team looking to sign Yang to reinforce their winger position.

The Scottish team’s offer came after the 21-year-old displayed an impressive performance last season in the K League, managing eight goals and four assists for Gangwon. His main role at the club is to break through the defense.

Celtic reportedly offered Gangwon 2.5 million euros (3.5 billion won) for Yang, but Gangwon have insisted that he is not for sale this summer as the team is currently struggling in the relegation zone in the K League.

The refusal came as a surprise to Yang, who believed that the club had promised him last year, when an offer from the United States was blocked, that it would support a future move to Europe.

Gangwon stood firm, saying the club would only permit winter transfers this year, but Yang refused to back down. He went public with his criticism of the club and its refusal to honor its promise to him, saying that the club’s president Kim Byung-ji had refused to meet with his representatives and even offering to give Gangwon his salary if they would let him go.

Club officials met with Yang on July 5 and the two sides appeared to put their differences behind them, although it was unclear at that point whether a move was still on the cards or if Celtic had given up on the transfer.

Once confirmed by Celtic, Yang will join countryman Oh Hyeon-gyu at the Scottish club.

Oh, who joined Celtic from the Suwon Samsung Bluewings in January this year, got off to a fast start in Scotland, scoring seven goals in 21 appearances across all competitions last season.

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