Gwangju FC’s core resource, Uhm Ji-sung, is expected to fulfill his dream of reaching the European stage through this summer’s transfer market.
According to a report by Yonhap News Agency on Tuesday, negotiations between Gwangju FC and Swansea City of the English Professional Football Championship (second division) are in the final stages.
If Swansea City accepts Gwangju’s final offer, the transfer of Uhm Ji-sung will be finalized.
A Gwangju club official said, “We are not at the stage of saying that the transfer has been finalized,” but added, “The club has decided to allow the transfer of Uhm Ji-sung, and we are coordinating the details (with Swansea City).”
In fact, Gwangju had been struggling with the move.
Unlike last season, when the club had a successful year, finishing third in the K League 1, its highest ever ranking, Gwangju has lost 11 of its 19 games this season.
This is the most losses among the 12 teams in the K League 1. With seven wins, one draw, and 11 losses, Gwangju (22 points) is currently in eighth place.
With only two points separating them from 10th-place Daegu FC (20 points), they could easily fall into the relegation zone.
In this situation, the departure of Lee Jung-hyo-ho’s Gwangju’s key resource, Uhm Ji-sung, is a major loss.
The 2002-born Uhm Ji-sung, who came up through the club’s youth system, has been a key part of Lee Jung-hyo’s tactics, moving between the front line and the second line to create creative attacks.
Even if Uhm leaves, Gwangju will not be able to sign any additional players, making his absence even more painful.
Gwangju, which received a ‘conditional approval’ in a short-term budget review earlier this year for failing to comply with the KFA’s new financial regulations, will have to spend the transfer window ’empty-handed’.
Until the club’s actual income reaches the level outlined in the budget, it will not be able to sign any additional players.
Nevertheless, Gwangju changed its stance because it decided to respect the club’s desire to advance to the European stage.
Swansea City, who initially offered a transfer fee of $1 million (approximately KRW 1.4 billion) and a sell-on clause that would allow the club to return a portion of the fee to Gwangju if the player were to move to another club, also reportedly upped their terms during the negotiations.
Unlike his contemporaries, who won the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year and have the benefit of military service, Uhm, who was born in 2002, still has to serve in the army.
As such, he cannot afford to take his chances in Europe.
Yang Hyun-joon, who played as an ace for Gangwon FC last season, also publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the club’s ‘no transfer’ policy after receiving an offer from Celtic (Scotland).
After losing Yang to Celtic, the weakened Gangwon were facing relegation until the end of the season, when they narrowly managed to stay in the top flight after a promotion playoff (PO).
If the move goes through, Um will become the second South Korean player to play for Swansea City, joining Ki Sung-yong (FC Seoul).
Swansea City, led by Luke Williams, finished 14th in the Championship in the 2023-2024 season with 15 wins, 12 draws and 19 losses. 바카라사이트 추천