Wolverhampton Wanderers and South Korea forward Hwang Hee-chan should be fit to play for the Molineux outfit when Julen Lopetegui’s side return to Premier League action in December, according to injury expert Ben Dinnery.
The 26-year-old is part of Paulo Bento’s Taegeuk Warriors squad that have travelled to the World Cup in Qatar but is yet to make an appearance at the tournament as of yet.
Wolves injury news – Hwang Hee-chan
As per Korea JoongAng Daily, Hwang has been suffering from hamstring discomfort, with the forward not even featuring on Wolves’ bench in the club’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal in their final game before the break for the World Cup.
The former RB Leipzig man will have been hoping to have played a bigger part in South Korea’s tournament as of yet, and questions remain over whether he will be fit for Friday’s final group stage clash with Portugal.
The Chuncheon-born forward has not enjoyed the best of seasons at club level so far, having appeared in just 24% of available minutes in the Molineux side’s Premier League campaign so far this season, according to Transfermarkt.
But Dinnery expects Hwang to be fit in time for Lopetegui’s first Premier League game at Everton on Boxing Day, though is unsure whether he will feature in Qatar, depending on whether Bento’s side can progress past the group stages after Friday’s game.
What has Dinnery said about Hwang and Wolves?
Dinnery told GIVEMESPORT: “I don't think it's a long-term issue that should affect his availability for Wolves once the Premier League fixtures resume, but certainly, dependent on results, he may or may not play in Qatar.”
What next for Hwang?
Hwang will be desperate to make at least some sort of impact in South Korea’s World Cup campaign and will be aiming to be fit to play some part in Friday’s clash with Portugal.
The 49-time international will have been selected by Bento in the hope that the forward can add some Premier League quality in the final third of the pitch for the Asian side, and will have been frustrated that he has been unable to call upon the Wolves man in their stalemate with Uruguay and 3-2 defeat at the hands of Ghana.
Theofficially taking charge of the club during the break for the World Cup, with the West Midlands side currently sitting bottom of the Premier League table.
But disappointments aside, Hwang’s immediate focus will be on getting himself fit enough to play some part in Bento’s side’s clash with Portugal, before what he hopes will be a last-16 clash for South Korea next week.