Gary O'Neil's Wolverhampton Wanderers have been handed a massive blow as their South Korean superstar Hwang Hee-Chan prepares to don his nation's jersey in the AFC Asian Cup 2024.
Hwang has netted 10 goals this season alongside 3 assists and has been his club's brightest star, helping Wolves climb up the Premier League ladder.
With the forward touted to leave for the Middle East, fans are eager to know how many games will he miss for Wolves. Here, GOAL explains all the scenarios and the clashes he could miss while on international duty.
How many games will Hwang Hee-Chan miss?
The Asian Cup 2023 is scheduled to take place from January 12 with the final scheduled to take place at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar on the 10th of February 2024.
South Korea are placed in Group E of the competition and Hwang Hee-Chan and company will play their first match against Bahrain. The Asian outfit then face Jordan before wrapping up their group stage against Malaysia on 25th January 2024.
If South Korea fail to make it through the group then the Wolves striker will not be out of action for long but with South Korea considered as favourites, Hwang Hee-Chan could miss some key Premier League games for his side.
Wolves also have a FA Cup tie against Brentford and if they make it through Hwang Hee-Chan could also be sidelined for their fourth round draw in the tournament. Wolves' home encounters against Manchester United and Brentford and away clashes against Brighton and Chelsea are the other games the talismanic striker could fail to feature in if South Korea make it through to the finals of the tournament.
| Date | Fixtures Missed | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| January 6 | Brentford (A) | FA Cup |
| January 22 | Brighton (A) | Premier League |
| TBC | Potential FA Cup Fourth Round tie | FA Cup |
| February 1 | Manchester United (H) | Premier League |
| February 4 | Chelsea (A) | Premier League |
| February 10 | Brentford (H) | Premier League |
Worst case scenario for Wolves: If South Korea gallops to the final of the tournament then the Wolves forward could be out of action for another FA Cup clash if his side make it ahead in the competition.
Hwang has 13 goal contributions for the English side and has been integral in their success so his absence would be a big miss for Wolves. He is expected to form a lethal partnership up front for South Korea with Tottenham's Son Heung-Min.