Kwon Hyeok-kyu arrived at Celtic in the summer of 2023 amid quiet optimism over his potential to develop into a first-team contributor.
Two years later, he looks set to depart without having made a single competitive appearance for the club. His time in Scotland has been defined by two loan spells, and Brendan Rodgers has now spoken openly about the midfielder’s situation.
Kwon spent last season on loan at Hibernian, where he initially impressed as David Gray’s side worked to stabilise a shaky campaign. But as Hibs’ form picked up, his role began to fade, and he saw limited minutes during the run-in.
His time in Edinburgh offered flashes of what he could offer, but it wasn’t enough to earn a permanent spot either there or back at Lennoxtown.
The year prior, in the second half of the 2023-24 season, Kwon had been loaned to St Mirren. He made nine appearances for the Buddies, getting a feel for the pace and physicality of the Scottish Premiership. While the stint was useful for experience, it didn’t translate into increased opportunities at Celtic.
Now with another pre-season under way and the competition in midfield showing no signs of easing, Rodgers has delivered a blunt assessment of where Kwon stands within the squad. The South Korean is not in the picture and is actively seeking a move.
He said: (RecordSport), “Kwon is in a difficult position with the competition there so he’s obviously looking for a club.”
Celtic’s midfield has long been one of the most competitive departments in the squad. Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate now appear to be the favoured three by Rodgers. Arne Engels, Luke McCowan, and Paulo Bernardo are also pushing for minutes, which has left Kwon without a viable route into the first team.
While his time at Hibs started well, he couldn’t maintain his place once results improved. It was a similar story at St Mirren, where he showed glimpses of his ability but did not do enough to force a rethink at the Hoops. Both loans served as experience builders rather than breakthroughs.
Rodgers has provided clarity rather than false hope. There is no place for Kwon in the current setup and the club will support his search for a move that benefits his career.
Kwon now needs to find a club where he can settle and play regularly. At 24, he still has time on his side, but continued spells on the fringes will only stall his development further. For Celtic, a departure allows them to focus on players firmly in Rodgers’ plans while offering Kwon a chance to get his career back on track.
