Oh Hyeon-gyu leaves Celtic for Genk

Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has left Celtic to join Belgian side Genk on a four-year deal, the club confirmed Sunday.

Oh Hyeon-gyu poses in a Genk training top in a picture posted to the Belgian club's official Instagram page on Sunday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Korean striker Oh Hyeon-gyu has left Celtic to join Belgian side Genk on a four-year deal, the club confirmed Sunday.

Oh joins Genk after an up-and-down 18-month spell at Parkhead. Joining the club half way through the 2022-23 campaign, Oh scored seven goals in 21 appearances and became then-manager Ange Postecoglou’s regular pick as a substitute for star striker Kyogo Furuhashi.

But his first full season looked very different. New manager Brendan Rodgers was less impressed by the 23-year-old Korean, dropping him out of the squad after the Asian Cup. He still finishes the season with five goals in 20 league appearances this season, but managed just 29 minutes of league playing time this year.

Oh now joins Genk — technically Koninklijke Racing Club Genk — in the Belgian Pro League, where he could face off with Korean national team teammate Hong Hyun-seok of KAA Gent.

"Hyeon-gyu is a striker with a nose for goals who is not afraid to make dirty meters as well," Genk Head of Football Dimitri de Condé said in a statement on the club’s website. “He is a nimble player who also offers a solid presence in the box thanks to his stature.”

Although not one of Europe’s powerhouse clubs, Genk is well known for having an exceptionally good youth academy — Leandro Trossard and Kevin De Bruyne are among its alumni — and development program. Oh, who leaves behind Korean teammates Yang Hyun-Jun and Kwon Hyeok-kyu at Celtic, indicated in his own statement that this was a big part of the attraction for him.

"KRC Genk is a team that has a lot of experience in training young players,” Oh said. “When the interest became concrete, my choice was immediately clear. I can't wait to show myself.”

The 2024-25 Belgian Pro League season kicks off on July 26, with Genk set to play Standard de Liège in their first game on July 28. Assuming Hong stays at Gent, the first Gent-Genk Belgian Korean derby will take place on Oct. 26.

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