Gwangju midfielder Jung Ho-yeon linked to Celtic

Gwangju FC midfielder Jung Ho-yeon has been heavily linked to Scottish club Celtic, with newspaper Glasgow World reporting that the 23-year-old is in “advanced” talks with the club over a possible January transfer.

Korea's Jung Ho-yeon, right, dribbles the ball during a Hangzhou Asian Games semifinal match against Uzbekistan at HSC Stadium in Hangzhou, China on Oct. 4, 2023. [YONHAP]

Gwangju FC midfielder Jung Ho-yeon has been heavily linked to Scottish club Celtic, with newspaper Glasgow World reporting that the 23-year-old is in “advanced” talks with the club over a possible January transfer.

Celtic have reportedly been interested in Jung since he won the 2023 K League Rookie of the Year early last month. Jung himself has seemingly confirmed the possible move, telling Sports Chosun last week that a move to Europe is edging closer and that scouts from European teams including Celtic have been to see him play.

What may be hindering the potential move is Gwangju manager Lee Jung-hyo, who told Korean newspaper Dong-a Ilbo in October that it is too “early” for him to join Celtic, arguing that he would eventually end up returning to Korea even if he made the move.

Jung is a central midfielder and a key player for Gwangju throughout the 2023 K League 1 season, having played 34 league matches and recorded two goals and four assists. His form — acting as a bridge between the defense and attackers with particularly good ball control — contributed to the team finishing in third place on the 12-team table, despite earning promotion to the first division in 2023.

Jung is also exempt from mandatory military service after winning a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games last year, making a move to Europe easier without the looming prospect of a two-year absence.

But a potential move is not necessarily all good news.

Jung will join a very crowded roster in Glasgow, with three Korean players — forward Oh Hyeon-gyu and midfielders Yang Hyun-jun and Kwon Hyeok-kyu — all joining the club last year. None of the three are regular starters, with Oh and Yang spending a lot of time on the bench and Kwon yet to debut.

Oh clocked up 579 minutes in 18 league matches in the 2023-24 season as of press time Tuesday, but has played the full 90 minutes only twice so far. Yang has played 637 minutes in 16 league games — more playing time than Oh, who missed the early games of the season due to injury.

If Jung moves to Celtic this winter, he will not only have to compete with midfielders Kwon and Yang for a spot on the squad, but also with other regular midfielder picks like Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley.

Whether Gwangju and Celtic and can come to an agreement for the move remains to be seen, with the Scottish transfer window remaining open until Feb. 1. Other clubs could still sweep in and steal the young midfielder, with all major European leagues operating a January transfer window and Major League Soccer still out of season.

Gwangju will have their work cut out finding a replacement if Jung does go before the 2024 K League 1 season rolls around in spring, as the club has to prepare for the new season as well as the AFC Champions League Elite playoffs.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]