Super awesome! 'Korean big leaguer born'Hong Hyun-seok destination Turkey →'German Mainz'surprise roundabout'Lee Jae-sung and Lee Jae-sung are close for 9 billion won in transfer fee
Aug 29, 2024
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Germany 'Sky' and 'Kicker' reported on the 28th (local time) that South Korea's national midfielder Hong Hyun-seok (25, Hent) is about to transfer to Mainz. "Sky" is about to recruit Korean Hong Hyun-suk from the Mainz. Hong Hyun-suk's transfer fee, whose contract with Hent is scheduled to expire in the summer of 2025, will reach 6 million euros (about 8.9 billion won)," the report said.
Belgian Journalist Sasha Tabolierido "Hong Hyun-suk is finally close to making it to the Bundesliga! Hong said he is already staying in Germany to complete the transfer process.
'Kicker' predicted that Hong Hyun-seok will become Mainz's highest transfer fee player this summer, and 'Official' (transfer announcement) will be released within the 29th. Mainz has invested 2.5 million euros (about 3.7 billion won) in recruiting Japanese midfielder Sano Kaishu.
According to data from a transfer fee website 'Transfermarkt', it is the first time in two years that Mainz has invested more than 6 million euros in the transfer market since the summer of 2022. At the time, he signed French midfielder Angelo Fulgani (currently Rennes) from Ange for 6 million euros.
For Hong Hyun-seok, the failure to transfer to Trabzonspor in Turkiye became a blessing in disguise.
Hong Hyun-seok posted 'I'm going because I want to go to Turkiye's" on his personal SNS. In Belgium and Turkey, reports poured in that they would sign a contract for a transfer fee of 4 million euros.
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In the meantime, Mainz jumped into the recruitment race. Mainz has been steadily looking for a Korean successor to the 32-year-old 'Ace' Lee Jae-sung, according to a transfer market official. Jeong Ho-yeon (Gwangju), who was selected for the A national team in September, is also on the list. However, Mainz decided to boldly `bet' Hong Hyun-suk, who has already been verified in the Belgian league.
Hong Hyun-seok, a left-footed attacking midfielder like Lee Kang-in, is from Ulsan HD Youth and has been on overseas stages since 2018, including Unterhatching, Junior Ross and LASK. In 2022, he moved to what is now Hent and scored 16 goals in 97 games. Last year, he participated in the Hangzhou Asian Games and helped South Korea win the gold medal.
Hong Hyun-seok was wearing a Hent uniform and playing seven games, including the Cup, this season, with two goals and three assists.
If Hong Hyun-seok confirms his joining of Mainz, he will work with senior Lee Jae-sung, who has a relationship with the national team. It is the birth of a Korean duo in the Bundesliga who will succeed Koo Ja-cheol (currently Jeju) and Ji Dong-won (currently Suwon FC), who worked with Augsburg in the past. Koo Ja-cheol also played with Park Joo-ho (retired) in Mainz.
The number of Korean players playing in the Bundesliga this season will increase to four, including Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and Jung Woo-young (Unyon Berlin).
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yoonjinman@sportschosun.com
