Suwon Bluewings Near Deal for 36-Year-Old MVP Defender Hong Jeong-ho in Promotion Push

A fallen giant is betting it all on a 36-year-old legend. Four-time K League 1 champions Suwon Samsung Bluewings, now facing a third straight season in the second division, are on the verge of signing former league MVP defender Hong Jeong-ho in a dramatic bid for promotion.

A Desperate Overhaul

After their relegation in 2023, Suwon's struggles have continued. This year, their promotion hopes were dashed in a playoff loss to Jeju SK FC by a combined 3-0 score. The disappointing result triggered a major shake-up: the club hired former Gwangju FC boss Lee Jung-hyo as their new head coach and opted not to renew contracts for a dozen players, signaling a clear intent to rebuild.

Plugging a Leaky Defense

According to league sources cited by Yonhap News Agency, a deal with Hong is expected to be finalized sometime next week. The veteran center back was the K League 1 MVP in 2021 and has won five league championships with his former club, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Sources say Jeonbuk offered Hong a new contract, but he has opted for the challenge at Suwon instead. His arrival addresses a critical weakness for the Bluewings, who led the K League 2 with 76 goals this year but conceded 50 goals, tying for the sixth-most in the league.