Hwang In-beom ends first year in Serbia with two titles and Premier League scouts

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Hwang In-beom ends first year in Serbia with two titles and Premier League scouts

Published: 22 May. 2024, 14:18 Updated: 22 May. 2024, 16:23

PAIK JI-HWAN
paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr

Red Star Belgrade midfielder Hwang In-beom [AFP/YONHAP]

Red Star Belgrade midfielder Hwang In-beom recorded an assist in his side’s 2-1 win over FK Vojvodina in the Serbian Cup final at Lagator Stadium in Serbia on Tuesday, ending his debut season in the country with both Serbian Cup and Super Liga titles.

After Mirko Ivanic opened the scoring in the 37th minute for Belgrade, Hwang provided an assist for Uros Spajuc in the 66th minute. Aleksa Vukanovic put one back in stoppage time, but that was it for Vojvodina.

Tuesday’s victory marked Belgrade’s seventh Serbian Cup, making them the joint winningest team alongside FK Partizan. It also made Belgrade the first team to sweep both the Serbian Cup and league titles four times in a row.

Red Star Belgrade celebrate winning the Serbian Cup final at Lagator Stadium in Serbia in a photo shared on the club's official Instagram account on Tuesday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The Serbian Cup title was Belgrade's second trophy this season, the club having locked in the league title on May 2 with four matches to go.

Since joining Belgrade from Greek team Olympiacos in September last year, Hwang has played 34 matches as a regular pick and recorded six goals and six assists.

He also made his UEFA Champions League debut in a 3-1 loss to Manchester City during the group stage in September last year in England.

He picked up his first goal and assist in the tournament, also against the Premier League champions, in a group stage match at home in December last year, although his side still suffered a 3-2 loss.

In the Champions League, each group of four competes in a home-and-away round-robin format, but the system is set for a complete overhaul next season.

Hwang could move on to greener pastures next season with Serbian media reporting that multiple Premier League scouts watched Belgrade’s recent league games to see him in action.

He has reportedly drawn interest from Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers — home to countryman Hwang Hee-chan.

Both Hwangs are regular picks for the national team. Hwang In-beom has 56 caps under his belt, and Hwang Hee-chan has 64 caps.

Joining a different team this summer would add another move to Hwang In-beom’s transfer-rich career. After a few years in the K League, he started his career overseas at Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer in 2019 and moved to Russian team Rubin Kazan the following year.

But Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted foreign players to leave the country and void their contracts.

He eventually returned to Korea where he played out the rest of the 2022 season with FC Seoul, before joining Olympiacos in July 2022 and moving to Serbia last year.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]