After a bit-part role at Celtic, Oh Hyeon-gyu is expected to leave Parkhead amid interest from Genk. The Belgian hotshots are locked in talks for quite some time and according to the HLN Sport journalist Bob Faesen (as quoted by Football Scotland), Blue-White have tabled an improved offer to get the deal over the line.
The 23-year-old South Korea international progressed through the youth ranks of Suwon Samsung Bluewings before breaking into their senior side in 2019. A loan spell with Gimcheon Sangmu helped him develop his game with regular minutes and eventually secure a first-team status at his boyhood club.
Ex-Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou used his connections and contacts in the Far East to rope him in for a fee in the region of £2.5m. He was brought in to replace wantaway Georgios Giakoumakis who was unhappy with Celtic’s offered terms. Although his arrival streamlined Giakoumakis’ egress, Oh, too, struggled for gametime being the second fiddle to Kyogo Furuhashi while spearheading the attack.
Why Celtic Must Cash In On Oh
Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers returned to the Paradise to replace Tottenham-bound Postecoglou before the 2023-24 campaign. He also relied on Furuhashi as his preferred ‘number 9′, moreover, the winter loan of Adam Idah saw Oh slipping down further in the pecking order.
With just 3 starts in 26 appearances last season, the South Korean star does not seem to be in Rodgers’ plans. He has netted 12 times in 47 Celtic appearances (stats via Transfermarket), but the gaffer has reiterated that he wants Idah back in Glasgow ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. The Bhoys are negotiating with Norwich City to snap up the Irishman on permanent terms, and therefore, should sanction the transfer of fringe players to generate funds.
Despite exhibiting his poaching traits in limited opportunities, Oh’s orthodox style of play does not suit Rodgers’ free-flowing passing football. He is an outright centre-forward who waits for crosses from the flanks, however, his lack of work rate and intent during duels and recoveries has further jeopardized his Celtic future.
While Idah remains a threat having shown his flair and finesse high up the pitch, he is also flexible enough to shift down the wide and operate as a wing-forward attuning to tactical alterations. He already has a greater impact than Oh by firing in the winner against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final, and his 9 goals in 19 games across competitions depict his ability to replace Furuhashi who struggled to find the net towards the closure of the previous term.
