Wolverhampton Wanderers may have come unstuck against Coventry City in the FA Cup quarter-final on the weekend, but they are well on track for a top-half finish in the Premier League.
Following a campaign of discontent during 2022/23 where the Old Gold sacked a manager and flirted with the relegation zone, Gary O’Neil has transformed the club.
A solid back three has conceded 44 goals, the ninth-best defensive record in the top flight. But it is O’Neil’s attacking options which have been a pleasant surprise this season, with the Old Gold scoring 42 goals in 29 matches.
This is 11 more than they achieved throughout the whole of the 2022/23 season, and it proves just how important it is to have attacking players on form.
It isn’t just one player who has grabbed the headlines, however. Pedro Neto has scored three goals and grabbed 11 assists, while Pablo Sarabia (12 goal contributions) and Matheus Cunha (18 goal contributions) have also contributed effectively throughout 2023/24, leading the Molineux outfit to ninth spot in the table at the time of writing.
Alongside Cunha, Hwang Hee-Chan is their top scorer with 11 goals this term and his resurgence under O’Neil has been a big bonus as they chase another top half top-flight finish.
Hwang Hee-Chan’s statistics for Wolves this season
The South Korean forward was signed on an initial loan deal by former manager Bruno Lage in August 2021 and was widely praised by Wolves technical director Scott Sellars.
“He’s got a good pedigree, having played Champions League football and at a World Cup,” said Sellars.
“He’s got a lot of pace, power and strength – he’s probably a little bit different to what we’ve got, and we think he’s a strong acquisition for the squad.”
Metric
2022/23
2023/24
Goals
3
10
Assists
1
3
Big chances created
1
4
Shots on target per game
0.3
0.6
Successful dribbles per game
0.5
1.5
It didn’t take long for his presence to impress the hierarchy as the club paid RB Leipzig £14m to make the loan deal a permanent one in January 2022, and he finished the season with five goals in the top flight.
The 2022/23 proved to be a bit of a damp squib, however, as the forward managed to score just four goals for the Molineux side during the whole season, although it appeared like everyone suffered, as this total ranked him as their third highest scorer, just two goals behind Ruben Neves and Daniel Podence.
This season, however, Hwang has enjoyed a rejuvenation under O’Neil. The 11 goals have been supplemented with three assists and his contributions have been key to the Old Gold currently occupying a top-half spot.
The attacker ranks second among the squad for goals and assists (13) in the Premier League, while also ranking second for shots on target per game (0.6), fourth for big chances created (four) and for successful dribbles per game (1.5), showcasing his importance to the cause.
According to Football Transfers, these displays mean Hwang is currently valued at €19m (£16.2m). This may not sound that impressive, but considering how poor a campaign he had last year, his valuation is currently back on the rise and more wonderful displays between now and May will see this break through the £20m mark.
There are a few players who are valued more than Hwang, however, with one being a former Wolves striker who played for the club between 2010 and 2012 – Steven Fletcher.
How much Steven Fletcher is worth in 2024 money
Of course, the Scottish striker is not currently valued higher than Hwang, as he is plying his trade for Wrexham in League Two at the age of 36.
But thanks to Totally Money, who have adjusted previous transfers for football inflation over the previous 30 years, it proves that Fletcher’s transfer fee is higher than Hwang’s current value.
Indeed, Wolves managed to secure his signature for a fee of £6.5m, which looked like a wise investment considering his performances during his maiden season in the top flight. Totally Money, however, states that this fee, now adjusted for inflation, would be worth around £17.8m today.
That is ahead of Hwang’s current market valuation of £16.2m and proves just how much of a blinder Wolves made when they snapped Fletcher up over a decade ago.
Steven Fletcher’s statistics for Wolves
The centre-forward had built his reputation north of the border, scoring 45 goals for Hibs in 163 appearances, leading to a move to Burnley in 2009.
They had just been promoted to the Premier League and were looking for someone to spearhead their attack. 12 goals in 38 games during his only season at Turf Moor was a solid if unspectacular record, and it led to him being on the move again in 2010.
It got even better at Molineux for the former Hibs starlet, as he scored 12 goals in 34 matches during his debut season and his goals meant the club avoided relegation by the skin of their teeth, finishing in 17th spot, just one point ahead of Birmingham City.
Another 12-goal campaign followed as Fletcher continued to terrorise defences in the Premier League, although this time, his goals could not prevent the Old Gold from slipping back into the second tier at the end of the season.
With that, his two-season spell at the Old Gold ended, staying in the top flight courtesy of his move to Sunderland.
There is no doubt the club played a blinder by moving him on for more than double what they signed him for just two years earlier, with the 6 foot 1 hitman enjoying his stint in the Midlands.
Since then, he has played for six clubs and is still going strong for Wrexham at the time of writing, netting eight goals in the League during the current season.
The fact that his sale in 2012 eclipses the current market value of Hwang proves just how much Wolves hit the jackpot on the former Scotland international.