FC Porto sign Inbeom Hwang for three years, with option for a fourth | OneFootball

The National Championship-winning squad has another new signing: 29-year-old midfielder Inbeom Hwang leaves Feyenoord to join FC Porto and give Francesco Farioli another option in midfield. The South Korea international has signed a three-year deal, with an option for a further year, and has already pulled on the blue and white shirt, where he will wear the number 16.

Born on September 20, 1996, in Daejeon, in central South Korea, the new Dragon took his first steps in football while still in primary school, before joining the main club in his city. In March 2015, at the age of 18, he made his debut in the top flight and, two months later, became the youngest player ever to score for Daejeon Citizen.

After recording 95 appearances, 15 goals and 13 assists in the first division, the 1.77-metre midfielder was called up for mandatory military service. He ended up on loan at Asan Mugunghwa FC, the South Korean police football team, where he won the Second Division title. The gold medal he won at the 2018 Asian Games later allowed him to be exempted from military service.

His career abroad began shortly afterwards, with a move to Canada, where he represented the Vancouver Whitecaps. During his time in Major League Soccer, Inbeom Hwang scored four goals and provided four assists before continuing his career in Russia.

In his first European experience, the South Korean stood out for Rubin Kazan, but returned to his homeland after the outbreak of the war between Russia and Ukraine. After playing ten matches for FC Seoul, he returned to European football to represent Olympiacos FC, sharing the dressing room with players such as James Rodríguez, Tiquinho Soares and Marcelo.

The following season proved especially successful. In his debut campaign for Red Star, Inbeom Hwang scored six goals, registered seven assists, won the league and the cup, and was named Serbian SuperLiga Player of the Year. The domestic double and the individual award opened the doors to the Netherlands, where he went on to wear the Feyenoord shirt.

One month after arriving in Rotterdam, the midfielder was included in the Eredivisie Team of the Month and quickly established himself as one of the standout figures at the eternal rivals of Francesco Farioli's Ajax. In 2025/26, under Robin van Persie, he helped Feyenoord secure direct qualification for the Champions League, the European competition in which he has featured most often.

An international since 2018, the year Paulo Bento handed him his first opportunity against Costa Rica, the new blue-and-white signing was named Best Player of the 2019 Asian Cup and has already played in two World Cups. In the most recent one, he scored a goal and provided an assist in the comeback against Czechia (2-1), playing an important role in South Korea’s victory.

With 77 caps and a résumé filled with titles and individual honours – including the MVP award for the opening round of the World Cup – Inbeom Hwang arrives in Porto with the mission of helping FC Porto fight for the club’s five targets this season: the Portuguese League, the Portuguese Cup, the League Cup, the Super Cup and the Champions League.