July 15, 2019 10:49
Korean striker Hwang Ui-jo is moving to France to join Ligue 1 side Girondins de Bordeaux, which on Sunday announced the signing of a four-year deal with him.
On Saturday, Hwang played his last match for Gamba Osaka in Japan's J-League against Shimizu S-Pulse. Although he did not register any offensive points, he played the whole game and contributed to the team's 1-0 victory.
When the match finished, his teammates carried Hwang on their shoulders, congratulating him on his new contract with the European club and wishing him well. He joined the Japanese team in 2017, scoring 31 goals in 70 matches over two and a half years.
"I've dreamed of a new challenge. I want to score more and perform better in the new club," Hwang said.
Manager Paulo Sousa of Portugal, who has been in charge of Bordeaux since March, was eager to sign Hwang as he badly needs goal scorers. Bordeaux scored just 34 goals last season, translating into an average of 0.9 goals per match.
Hwang chose Bordeaux despite numerous attractive offers from China, the Middle East and North America. Although his salary will be half of what he would have earned in China or the Middle East, he decided to play for Bordeaux in the hope of increasing his chances of achieving his ultimate dream of playing in the English Premier League. Hwang's salary at Bordeaux is reported to be around 1.8 million euros a year.
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