Korean forward Hwang Hee-chan, left, vies for the ball with South Africa's Ime Okon during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A football match between South Africa and Korea in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, on June 24.AP/YONHAP
Forward Hwang Hee-chan has left English Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers for Schalke 04 on loan to mark his return to Germany’s Bundesliga after five years, according to the German club on Tuesday.
The club announced that Hwang will join the German side on a season-long loan through June 30, 2027. He last played in Germany for RB Leipzig in 2021.
Germany’s sports news outlet Sky Sport reported that the deal includes an option for Schalke to sign Hwang permanently for 3 million euros ($3.5 million) at the end of the season.
The loan was completed just hours before the Tuesday transfer deadline. The deal came together so quickly that Schalke announced the signing without even releasing a photo of Hwang in the club’s jersey.
Hwang had been seeking a move after Wolverhampton were relegated to the Championship and his role at the club diminished. He scored 12 Premier League goals in the 2023-24 season but struggled over the past two seasons. He had also been linked with Leeds United before ultimately heading to Schalke.
Schalke, who have traditionally performed well in Germany's top league, had been in the second division since 2023 before earning promotion to the Bundesliga this season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hwang Hee-chan, left, celebrates scoring a goal against Manchester City at the Molineux in Wolverhampton, England, on Sept. 30, 2023.REUTERS/YONHAP
“In Hwang Hee-chan, we’ve bolstered our attacking options,” Youri Mulder, director of Schalke, said in the transfer announcement. “He can play in multiple positions, and we see his many years of experience in a variety of leagues and on the international stage as a big plus.
The Korean forward also expressed his excitement for his new chapter.
“Schalke 04 impressed me last season,” Hwang said. “I’ve been studying their style of play closely and think that I’d be a good fit for the team. In 2021, I played at the stadium for Leipzig, but unfortunately, there were no fans allowed in [due to Covid-19]. I can hardly wait to experience the atmosphere in front of a sold-out crowd as a Schalke player.”
Hwang could make his debut as early as Saturday when Schalke hosts Bayern Munich. The match could pit him against fellow Korean international Kim Min-jae.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
