The team was relegated. But Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton)'s chance of surviving in the Premier League is actually reopening.
With Wolverhampton Wanderers' relegation to the Championship confirmed, a squad overhaul has become unavoidable. British outlets 'Sportsboom' and 'Football Fancast' reported on the 15th (Korean time) that Hwang Hee-chan could leave Wolverhampton in the upcoming summer transfer window. With a drop in broadcast revenue due to relegation and overlapping issues with fiscal soundness regulations, Wolverhampton is said to be in a position where it must offload high earners.
Hwang Hee-chan is no exception. Hwang Hee-chan is a key attacking asset at Wolverhampton who earns a weekly wage of 70,000 pounds (about 140.3 million won). He would not have been an obvious player to sell had he stayed in the Premier League, but the situation changed after relegation to the second tier. The club must consider transfer fee income and wage cuts at the same time. Local reports even suggest that Wolverhampton could accept selling Hwang Hee-chan.
The team most concretely mentioned is Fulham. Fulham competed around 11th in the Premier League this season and is preparing to strengthen its attack for next season. In Marco Silva's system, Hwang Hee-chan's work rate and pressing, and his ability to move between the flank and the center, have usable value. He would not be just a simple backup forward but could be seen as a card that can raise both front-line pressing and counterattack speed.
Transfer fee is also a variable. Hwang Hee-chan's market value was estimated at 17.4 million pounds (about 34.5 billion won), but if Wolverhampton is under financial pressure, there is speculation they could sit at the negotiating table even for offers around 13 million pounds (about 26 billion won). If Fulham can bring in a forward who can play both on the flank and up front at that price, it would not be a heavy burden for them.
Fulham is not the only club watching. Brentford is also reportedly eyeing Hwang Hee-chan as an efficient attacking reinforcement. Italian Serie A side Lazio is also said to have maintained steady interest. However, no transfer has been finalized yet. There is only interest, observation and initial possibility. Actual negotiations can proceed only if Wolverhampton's willingness to sell, Hwang Hee-chan's choice and a concrete offer align.
This summer is important for Hwang Hee-chan. If he stays at Wolverhampton, he must aim for promotion again in the Championship. Conversely, if he transfers to a Premier League club such as Fulham, he can shake off the shock of relegation and remain in the top flight immediately. The timing is also significant with the 2026 CONCACAF Nations Cup approaching. As a national team forward, both match level and playing time are important.
It also matters for the overall flow of Korean football. Since Park Ji-sung joined Manchester United in 2005, there have been steady Korean players in the Premier League. Ki Sung-yueng, Lee Chung-yong and Son Heung-min continued that lineage. This season Hwang Hee-chan kept that title. The trend that could have been broken by Wolverhampton's relegation now has a chance to continue with the Fulham transfer talk.
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