End of an Error as Kwon Heads for Celtic Exit Door | OneFootball

Mention of the summer transfer window of 2023 is enough to send the Celtic support in search of medication. It was quite simply a disastrous window and we’ll have a closer look back at that shortly.

Yang celebrates. St Mirren v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Saturday 1st March 2025. Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Only two players from the ten signed for a total of £19.3m in that window, Brendan Rodgers first after returning to the club, have really offered much return, Yang and Paulo Bernardo, with the latter signed on loan and only becoming a permanent fixture the following summer.

Paulo Bernardo. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

The rest have been a monumental wasting of almost the entirety of the Jota record equaling transfer deal.

One of those was young Korean Kwon Hyeok-kyu, signed for £1m from Busan I-Park, in July 2023.

Celtic v Wolves – Kwon Hyeok-kyu left battles for the ball during the pre-season friendly match at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin. Saturday July 29, 2023. Photo Brian Lawless

Kwon arrived very much as a project signing. However, after two years with Celtic he has yet to make a competitive appearance for the Hoops and has spent time on loan initially with St Mirren, where he made eight league appearances and last season it was another loan deal for the youngster, this time at Hibs where he made 21 top flight appearances.

St. Mirren v Rangers – Hyeok-Kyu Kwon during the Scottish Premiership match at The SMISA Stadium, Paisley. Saturday January 27, 2024. Photo Andrew Milligan

Now it looks like Kwon may be moving out permanently, with mainstream media reporter Mark Hendry stating Austria Vienna are showing an interest in Kwon and that the Austrian Bundesliga may be the next stop-off in his career.

No harm to Kwon whatsoever. After all if Celtic come calling and you are plying your trade in the second tier of Korean football, you simply can’t say no, but it says a lot that, bar friendly appearances, Kwon hasn’t been trusted with enough ability to get any competitive minutes with Celtic.

September 16th 2024: Tomoki Iwata 24 Birmingham City celebrates after scoring Birmingham s third goal during the Sky Bet League One football match between Birmingham City and Wrexham at St Andrews in Birmingham, England Natalie Mincher/SPP

Of those 10 players signed in the summer of 2023, only Tomoki Iwata has moved on permanently. Nat Phillips left after a horrible loan spell from Liverpool and eight remain with the club, all on long-term contracts. And all face either another loan deal away from Celtic, or you would imagine, much like Kwon, a move away from Celtic on a permanent basis, if buyers can be found this summer.

Hopefully this move to Austria Vienna comes off for Kwon as it is difficult to see any future at Celtic for the player. And for a player who arrived believing Celtic was a stepping stone to the EPL, if he’s ever to achieve playing at a standard of football even close to his ambition, it has to start with a move to a club willing to give him first team football, spend time developing his skills, and a shop window to achieve those career aspirations.

It certainly won’t happen at Celtic. Much like the vast majority of players signed in that disastrous 2023 summer transfer window.

Niall J

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