Hwang Ui Jo has ‘finally accepted’ a move to Nottingham Forest, as reported by L’Equipe and Fabrizio Romano, with the Premier League newcomers fighting off competition from Fulham and Wolves.
This does not, however, mean Hwang will be wearing Garibaldi red during 2022/23.
Instead of competing with Taiwo Awoniyi for a place in Steve Cooper’s frontline, the South Korea international will be loaned out to Forest’s Greek-based sister club Olympiakos instead. Hwang was against the idea initially but appears to have come around to Nottingham Forest’s way of thinking.
The Bordeaux striker, L’Equipe say, has now ‘accepted’ a deal that would see him become Cooper’s 17th signing of a frantic summer, before jetting out to Greece. It remains to be seen if Hwang will spend the entire season at Olympiakos. Or, indeed, whether he will ever wear Nottingham Forest colours.
Nottingham Forest agree Hwang Ui Jo deal with Bordeaux
The former Gamba Osaka ace had been hoping to join Wolves instead, albeit allegedly for ‘financial reasons’. Wolverhampton Wanderers now appear to be looking elsewhere, however. Talks with Stuttgart targetman Sasa Kalajdzic are underway, though the team from the Black Country are yet to stump up the £21 million fee required to sign one of Europe’s tallest number nines.
Hwang was also on Fulham’s radar, per The Standard.
West Ham United expressed their interest too, before completing the £30 million signing of Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca.
“It is true that offers have arrived from FC Nantes and West Ham United as well,” Hwang admitted in June.
The late-blooming centre-forward scored 11 times as Bordeaux were relegated from Ligue 1 last term; including a hat-trick against high-flying Strasbourg.
L’Equipe say that Nottingham Forest will pay up to £4 million, with around three-quarters of that up front. Given that Hwang will move immediately on loan to Olympiakos, however, Forest may still be in the market for another new striker before next week’s transfer deadline.
Brighton’s Neal Maupay is one such target.
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