VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Friday that the club has reached an agreement to transfer midfielder Inbeom Hwang to Russian Premier League club FC Rubin Kazan. Whitecaps FC will retain a percentage of any future transfer fees and both clubs have agreed to not disclose the financial details of the transfer.
“Inbeom came to us and expressed his wish to continue with his goal of playing in Europe,” said Axel Schuster, CEO and sporting director of Whitecaps FC. “We worked closely with Inbeom and his representatives to find a solution that would benefit our club. All parties have agreed that this is the best path and we wish Inbeom every success as he takes the next step to pursue his dream. We will continue to follow the markets and are in a position to be able to act if we see the right opportunity and right profile that would improve the quality of our group.”
Hwang, a 23-year-old South Korea international, was acquired by Whitecaps FC on January 30, 2019 from his hometown club Daejeon Citizen FC. Over his 18 months in Vancouver, the central midfielder made 41 appearances for the club scoring four goals and adding six assists across all competitions.
“I am very grateful to everyone at the club for their support and professionalism both on and off the pitch," added Hwang. "I am disappointed that I am leaving this team without getting the results we wanted. I have grown as a person and player during my time in Vancouver and have made lifelong friends. I have always been very open about my dream to play in Europe and when this opportunity presented itself, I shared my desire to take on this new challenge. To the fans, thank you for your support. I will represent the Whitecaps with honour in Europe and I look forward to watching the club continue to grow and achieve tremendous success."
Former Russian national team coach Leonid Slutsky was appointed manager of FC Rubin Kazan in December 2019. The Russian Premier League kicked off the 2020-21 season last weekend, FC Rubin Kazan’s next match is Saturday, August 15 against FC Ural Yekaterinburg.
TRANSACTION: Vancouver Whitecaps FC transfer Inbeom Hwang to Russian Premier League club FC Rubin Kazan on August 14, 2020.
