West Ham plot loan for Hwang Hee-Chan as Bundesliga striker set for exit – report
West Ham have been alerted to the news that RB Leipzig striker Hwang Hee-Chan looks set to leave the Bundesliga this month.
According to a report in Blid, the Hammers are keen to bring in the South Korean striker on loan, as David Moyes aims to replace Sebastian Haller before the end of January.
Hee-Chan made the switch to German football from Red Bull Salzburg last July and has struggled for game time this season. The 24-year-old was brought in to replace Timo Werner, who joined Chelsea in the summer.
The numbers don’t lie
Hee-Chan made a name for himself in Austria due to his high energy and attacking performances. However, after contracting Coronavirus in December, he’s really struggled to rediscover his form of 2019/20.
Prior to his move to Leipzig, he had a very impressive season in Austria for Red Bull Salzberg. Hee-Chan made 38 appearances and scored 16 times with fourteen assists.
Of his 68 attempts, an impressive 64.7% hit the target [Wyscout]. In the Austrian Bundesliga alone, the striker had the second-highest average of shots on target at 68.18%.
He made 85 recoveries over the course of the season, 84.7% of those coming in the opposition half, averaging 2.85 per match.
Across the entire Austrian first division, Hee-Chan made the second most key passes over the course of the season with 23, averaging the most per 90 minutes, 1.25.
Clearly a big attacking threat.
Very big potential
It’s obvious why Leipzig decided to bring Hee-Chan over to the Bundesliga, he’s a quality striker but short of match fitness and confidence.
One thing David Moyes has done this season is install belief in the West Ham squad – we’ve gone from a relegation battle to European push in 18 months.
The Scot has changed the mentality of the club, which sees the team playing with freedom and confidence this season. He could be the sort of manager that the struggling South Korean needs.
This could be a great signing for all parties. Hee-Chan possesses the credentials that Moyes asks for of his frontman, a workhorse with a strong goals return much like Michail Antonio.
In other West Ham news, here’s what Oladapo Afolayan had to say after scoring on his debut for the Hammers.