Kwon Hyeok-kyu has officially left Celtic, completing a permanent move to Ligue 1 side FC Nantes.
The South Korean midfielder has signed a three-year deal with the French club, bringing his short stint at Parkhead to an end without making a single competitive appearance for the Hoops.
Un nouveau renfort dans l’entrejeu 🔬
Welcome Hyeokkyu Kwon 👋🏻🇰🇷 pic.twitter.com/pBEhcQUS1y
— FC Nantes (@FCNantes) July 25, 2025
Kwon joined Celtic last summer with big ambitions, aiming to use the club as a springboard to Europe’s top leagues. Despite those intentions, he failed to break into the first team under Brendan Rodgers and was swiftly deemed surplus to requirements.
The 23-year-old had been close to joining Austria Vienna earlier in the summer, but talks broke down, allowing Nantes to swoop in and secure his services.
While his time in Glasgow was brief and ultimately unfulfilled, the move to Ligue 1 represents a significant opportunity for Kwon to reset and prove his value at the top level of European football. In the end, he actually got what he wanted from his time at Celtic – to step up to a better league.
For Celtic, the deal frees up space in midfield as the club continues to reshape the squad ahead of the new season, and cuts the players who are surplus to requirements.
Next on the agenda for Celtic will be some additions.
