Hyeokkyu Kwon has swapped Glasgow for Edinburgh after completing a loan move to Hibernian from Celtic this week.
The South Korean midfielder enjoyed a productive spell at St Mirren last term, making nine appearances in the second half of last term as the Buddies secured Europa Conference League qualification.
Stephen Robinson was a big fan of Kwon. However, after pitching up in the capital, he will be wearing a different shade of green this season under David Gray. Despite never making a competitive appearance for Celtic, the club look to be prioritising his acclimatisation to Scottish Premiership.
Should he flourish at Easter Road, it will be intriguing to see where his prospects of a first-team breakthrough sit down the line.
Now, the 23-year-old has delivered his first interview since joining Hibernian and opened up on his aims for the campaign.
Hyeokkyu Kwon on joining Hibernian
Previewing his time at Hibernian, Kwon is keen to kick on at Easter Road following a promising start to life in Scottish football at St Mirren.
Firstly, he started by explaining what he learned last season, stating [Hibernian FC]: “He first few days I’ve been very tired because training is very tough, but my teammates are very kind. They speak English slowly, so I’m very happy!
“The Scottish Premiership is very physical. In pre-season I developed my physicality, so I’m looking forward to this season. I want to show my 100% performance and ability.
“The St Mirren gaffer taught me many things, which was very helpful for me. Now I can develop my abilities here at Hibs.” Delving in further, Kwon also added: “I know Hibs is a very great club in Scotland. I’m very happy to join this club.
“I heard that the Hibs support is amazing, and that the stadium is really nice.
“Last week I watched the game against Celtic, and I was supporting Celtic, but now I support Hibs! This weekend’s game will help me understand more how Hibs play and means I can see my teammates’ movement.”
Kwon has a chance to show his capabilities at Hibernian
Cementing a place in the Celtic midfield was always going to be difficult for Kwon, so it makes sense that he has headed out the door to continue progressing away from the pressures of life in Glasgow.
Brendan Rodgers is in the market for reinforcements in the engine room. Augsburg’s Arne Engels and Dundee captain Luke McCowan have been mentioned as potential targets.
Should either come in, Kwon may be pushed further down the pecking order under the Irishman, making his loan spell important personally to prove he has what it takes at the Bhoys.
Best of luck to him at Hibernian. Hopefully, he can enjoy a successful time in Edinburgh before returning to Celtic with a point to prove.
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