Just a few weeks ago, the new season was looking grim for Hwang Hee-chan. He had lost his footing at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Instead of training with the first team, he was relegated to the U21 squad, and he didn't even make the match list for three consecutive games after the season started. Finding a turning point in England seemed daunting.

However, Hwang Hee-chan's circumstances underwent a dramatic change on the last day of the transfer window. His move to Schalke 04 was barely approved, with just 35 seconds to spare before the deadline. Although he only played about 10 minutes in his first game for the new team, he managed to provide an assist. Now, the possibility of starting in future games is being discussed.

At Schalke, Hwang Hee-chan was given the number 7 shirt. Among the players who have donned this number at Schalke is Real Madrid legend Raúl González. Hwang did not shy away from the daunting comparison. Referring to Raúl as a great legend, he expressed his desire to have a similar impact, while acknowledging the difficulty of achieving such a feat.

Nowhere to be found at Wolverhampton…Training with U21 and excluded from the first 3 matches

Hwang's notable start at Schalke stands out even more when compared to his situation just a fortnight ago. This summer, Wolverhampton did not consider Hwang a key player for the new season. He trained with the U21 team and was omitted from the squad for the first three matches under coach César Peixoto.

Hwang had his moments of peak performance at Wolverhampton too. Especially during the 2023-24 season, he became a pivotal part of the attack in the Premier League, scoring double-digit goals. However, he could not sustain this form over the next two seasons, and his role gradually diminished. His situation did not improve even after Wolverhampton was relegated to the Championship.

During the summer transfer window, finding a new team became a top priority. Schalke had been monitoring Hwang early on, but negotiations were initially tricky since Wolverhampton preferred a permanent transfer instead of a loan. As of noon on deadline day, Schalke's chances of acquiring him seemed slim.

The situation took a sudden turn at the last minute. Wolverhampton’s inability to secure a permanent transfer for Hwang opened up the possibility for a loan deal. Even after both clubs reached an agreement, administrative procedures such as electronic signatures were still pending.

7:59:25 PM…35 seconds later and the transfer to Schalke would have been off.

The final approval for Hwang Hee-chan's transfer was recorded at 7:59:25 PM local time. The German transfer window closed at 8 PM. Only 35 seconds remained. Frank Baumann, Schalke's sports director, recounted that he received confirmation that all necessary documents had been uploaded to the system only 35 seconds before the deadline. Any further delay in the administrative process could have derailed Hwang's return to Germany altogether.

Thus, Hwang Hee-chan left Wolverhampton to join Schalke on a loan until June 2027. The contract also includes an option for a permanent move. According to local reports, Schalke has the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the season for 3 million euros, approximately 4.7 billion won. Whether this loan spells just more game time or becomes a permanent stay in Germany depends on his performance this season.

It didn’t take long for the first result…First attacking point within 10 minutes of debut at Schalke

It didn’t take long for the first result to come in at his new team. On the 12th, Hwang Hee-chan was subbed in during the 35th minute of the second half in a Bundesliga round 3 match against Union Berlin. It was his official debut wearing the Schalke uniform. In the dying minutes of the game, with Schalke trailing 2-1, Hwang initiated an attack from the right, passed the ball into the penalty area, and Maximilian Bieber converted it. This clinched a 3-1 victory for Schalke.

An official assist was credited to Hwang Hee-chan. He played for about 10 minutes. Schalke secured their first win of the season, and Hwang quickly made his mark with his new team. There’s potential for his strong physicality and high work rate to mesh well with the football that coach Miron Muslic wants to play. The local media outlet RUHR24 highlighted how well Hwang's attributes fit into Muslic’s tactical plans.

Hwang himself sees his playing style as a good match for what Muslic wants. Known for his relentless energy on the field, he expressed confidence in adapting well. While it’s too early to say that the competition for a starting spot is over based on a single assist, having produced results in limited playtime does give him a stronger case for more minutes in upcoming games.

New number 7 at Schalke…The previous bearer of this number was ‘Raúl’.

The number given to Hwang Hee-chan by his new team is no minor detail.

Number 7.

To Schalke fans, this number still evokes memories of Raúl González.

Raúl, a symbol of Real Madrid, joined Schalke in 2010. While some viewed it as a twilight European challenge for the aging star,

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