Club 'renew' transfer interest in Celtic misfit as major obstacle removed in pursuit of star with 'great potential'
Midfielder has displayed flashes of ability during loan spells at fellow Scottish Premiership sides Hibs and St Mirren
Celtic misfit Kwon Hyeok-kyu could be set for a permanent exit from Parkhead this summer - with Austria Vienna renewing their interest in the South Korean midfielder.
The 24-year-old, who joined the Hoops back in 2023, is still waiting to make his competitive debut for the club. Having being signed from Busan IPark in his homeland under Brendan Rodgers, Kwon was quickly deemed surplus to requirements and sent out on loan initially to fellow top-flight side St Mirren.
He spent the entirety of last season at Hibs, making 22 appearances for the Easter Road club and showed flashes of ability, albeit he was used sparingly once they moved away from the relegation zone.
Now, according to transfer insider Mark Hendry, Austria Vienna are weighing up a summer swoop. The Austrian Bundesliga outfit had previously attempted to bring Kwon to the club last season, but were blocked from doing so due to league loan restrictions.
They had already filled their quota of six foreign loan players and were unable to register another, but that obstacle no longer exists for Stephan Helm’s side and Vienna are now considering a permanent move for the Korean Under-23 international.
Austria Vienna view Celtic flop as having potential for growth and development
It’s understood they’ve tracked his progress closely during his stints in the Premiership across the past year and a half and still view the player as having great potential for growth and development.
Any potential deal for the Scottish champion would likely represent a tidy piece of business with Kwon’s opportunities proving extremely limited in an area of the pitch that is a notoriously tough place to break into at the best of times.
It’s likely that a permanent exit would suit all parties and while no formal offer has been tabled yet, Austria Vienna’s interest could spark a quick resolution for a player whose career in Glasgow’s east end never truly got started.