Olympique de Marseille have identified Hwang Hee-chan (Wolverhampton Wanderers) as a possible replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should the Frenchman leave the club.

“Olympique de Marseille would like to bring in Hwang Hee-chan, who is having a very good season at Wolverhampton, if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaves for the Saudi Arabian Premier League,” French media outlet Gennes Futbol reported on Friday.

Marseille, which is celebrating its 124th anniversary since its founding in 1899, is one of Europe’s most prestigious clubs, having won nine Ligue 1 titles, 10 Coupe de France titles and the UEFA Champions League in the 1992-1993 season. Eric Cantona, Jean-Pierre Papin, Didier Deschamps, Franck Ribery, and many other world-class players have graced the pitch in a Marseille jersey.

However, since the 2010s, Marseille hasn’t had much trophy luck. Their most recent title was the Coupe de la Ligue (League Cup), which they retained in the 2011-2012 season. The 2023-24 season also saw them slump, finishing eighth in the league.

Marseille, who are hoping to make the leap to the top flight and qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, are looking to bolster their ranks this summer as key striker Aubameyang is expected to leave the club.

Born in 1989 in Gabon, Africa, Aubameyang was one of Europe’s top nine strikers in his prime. His explosive pace was his main weapon, and he was a two-time top scorer in Europe’s top five leagues.

After leading the Bundesliga with 31 goals in 2016-17 in a Borussia Dortmund shirt, Aubameyang scored 22 goals for Arsenal in 2018-19 to become the Premier League’s top scorer.

After signing for Marseille last summer, Aubameyang had a breakout season last season, scoring 30 goals and providing 11 assists in 51 appearances across all competitions, which is hard to believe for a player in his mid-30s. His 10 goals in the UEFA Europa League were enough to earn him the tournament’s top scorer and MVP honors.

After an excellent season, Aubameyang has now been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. If Aubameyang leaves, Marseille will need to sign a replacement, and Hwang Hee-chan has been listed as a possible new striker.

“Marseille are keen to attract Hwang, who is having a very good season for Wolverhampton, scoring 12 goals and providing three assists in 30 Premier League games,” the outlet explained, adding, “The South Korean international striker is a profile that is unanimously agreed upon within the Marseille club, even if he is difficult to sign.”

“Hwang, whose transfer fee is believed to be at least €16 million, can play both left and right wing and as a number nine, giving Wolves the advantage of being able to cover all positions in the attacking lineup in any situation,” he said.

“It’s a dream for many coaches, and it’s a business that will continue between Marseille and Wolverhampton in this transfer window,” he said, adding 토토사이트 that Marseille are expected to hold talks with Wolverhampton during the summer transfer window over the signing of Hwang Hee-chan.

Hwang Hee-chan was a key attacking player for Wolverhampton in the 2023-24 season. Last season, Hwang totaled 13 goals and three assists in all competitions. His Premier League tally was 12 goals and three assists in 29 games, marking his first double-digit league tally since joining Wolverhampton in the summer of 2021.

Just over a year ago, Hwang was struggling to compete for a starting role, with just nine goals and four assists in the last two seasons, and the club’s financial woes led to a possible move in the summer 2023 transfer window.

However, Hwang ended up staying at Wolverhampton, which turned out to be a “godsend” for him. Under new manager Gary O’Neill, Hwang blossomed and became a regular in the team, scoring double-digit Premier League goals.

Wolverhampton were so impressed with his performances that they renewed his contract. By December of last year, Hwang signed a new deal, extending his contract until June 2028, after a strong first half of the season in which he scored eight goals and provided two assists in the league. His weekly salary was also reportedly increased to £70,000 (approximately $121.5 million).

After three years at Yulverton, Hwang has established himself and is expected to perform well next season, prompting French Ligue 1 side Marseille to include him in their transfer list.

However, signing Hwang will not be easy. While Aubameyang, who is currently attracting interest from Saudi Arabia, could fetch a hefty transfer fee, Wolverhampton are unlikely to part with their key striker without a substantial fee.

German transfer market outlet TransferMarkt has valued Hwang at €25 million ($37.4 million). Considering the length of his contract, Marseille will have to offer well over €25 million to land Hwang.