2025 Season Preview: Gwangju FC | OneFootball

Gwangju FC recorded a satisfactory season in K League 1, even if they failed to reach the considerable heights of 2023. Their FA Cup run went to the last four and they have taken Champions League Elite by storm. They should survive but outstanding manager Lee Jung-hyo will have to rotate heavily to compete in three competitions. Gwangju return to the World Cup Stadium this year.

Last Season

14 wins, 5 draws, 19 losses, 47 points. 9th in K League 1.

What Happened?

In the league, this was about as bland and unexciting a season as one could have imagined. Perhaps that wasn't a bad thing. 24 months ago, Gwangju had just been promoted from K League 2. They defied logic and expectation to finish third on their return. Last season, they were neither in danger of relegation nor close to producing an outcome as spectacular as 2023. Gwangju were top after two rounds, bottom after nine, and then spent the rest of the year sitting in seventh or eight. It was only on the final day of the season did they drop down to ninth, their lowest league position since May.

Lee Jung-hyo's men saved their best form for the Korean Cup (making it all the way to the semi-finals, before losing 3-2 on aggregate to Ulsan HD) and, of course, the AFC Champions League Elite. At the time of publication, Gwangju FC are second in the East division, trailing Yokohama F. Marinos on goal difference, with four wins and a draw from six matches. For context, Ulsan HD have one win from six. Progression is virtually guaranteed so manager Lee will be required to go deep into his small squad to maintain a challenge on three fronts.

His squad boasts one of Asia's top talents, however. Few would have expected Jasir Asani to still be with the club after starting for Albania in the recent European Championships and notching seven goals in AFC Elite so far, to go with his multiple man of the match awards. Asani is still here, however, training with the rest of the squad in Thailand. But it was at the other end that ensured Gwangju comfortably stayed in the division. A solid defense backboned by Kim Kyeong-min's eight clean sheets meant they were difficult to break down. Gwangju once went on a six-game losing streak, with every loss by a single goal. In fact, of their 19 season losses, just six were by more than a goal. Given the winter additions, they will be just as resolute defensively in 2025.

Isnairo Reis (in, Jeju SK).

Reis returns to Gwangju, where his K League career began five years ago, after two seasons with Jeju United/SK. He was part of the club's relegation from, and then immediate promotion to, K League 1 before joining the Islanders in 2023. In his first season with Jeju, he scored eight and assisted five during a terrific season. Those numbers dropped in 2024 but Gwangju were delighted to get Reis back. He adds valuable experience to a squad competing on three fronts. Manager Lee believes that "not only is Reis a proven talent, but his influence on and off the pitch has created a positive synergy within the squad." Reis was traded to Gwangju with striker Lee Gun-hee (five goals and one assist) going in the opposite direction.

Jeong Ho-yeon (out, Minnesota United).

A move that was mooted for weeks was finally confirmed last weekend when Jeong Ho-yeon left Gwangju for Minnesota United on a three-year deal. His departure comes within a year of another high profile Gwangju midfielder moving on (Lee Soon-min to Daejeon) and leaves having recorded the most number of assists (5) at the club in 2024. Jeong is a very talented midfielder but Gwangju have made some smart signings which could reduce the impact of his transfer.

Yoo Je-ho (in, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors).

Yoo Je-ho has big boots to fill following Jeong Ho-yeon's departure to MLS, but this looks like a good fit for player and club. Yoo joins from Jeonbuk Hyundai on a season-long loan. He started his career at Suwon Samsung, where he was beginning to command a spot in the starting XI before Jeonbuk swooped in the summer. It was a move that didn't make much sense and Yoo would go on to make just five appearances for Jeonbuk having made 17 in the first half of the season for Suwon. He's a young, tenacious midfielder, operating in the classic number 6 role. Yoo looks like a player who could shine under Lee's management style and become a very useful operator for Gwangju.

Heo Yool (out, Ulsan HD)

23-year-old striker Heo Yool leaves his home town club for the bright lights of championship favorites Ulsan HD following veteran Joo Min-kyu's departure for Daejeon. Ulsan have added offensive reinforcements so it is no guarantee Heo will get the minutes he craves in his debut season. Heo has seven goals and four assists in 83 K League 1 appearances thus far. It isn't prolific but there is a player there and Ulsan will hope to develop him into a more consistent goal scorer (unless they see him as a defender!) before he does his military service (which he was scheduled to do this year).

Mr. AFC was limited to just 13 league appearances for Gwangju last season (scoring three goals) having scored seven and assisted three in 33 games the previous year. He is the player with the highest value in the squad according to transfermarkt, at 1.20 million euros. Last summer, he represented Albania at the European Championships and has, so far, amassed 22 caps. But it is in the AFC Champions League Elite where Asani has really shown his worth. On matchday one, he scored an exquisite hat-trick against defending champions Yokohama F. Marinos, scored the only goal of the game away to Kawasaki Frontale, added two in the opening six minutes against Malaysian side Johor Darul Ta'zim, and then recorded his seventh of the pool stage against Shanghai Shenhua, in another 1-0 win.

I asked him after his man-of-the-match performance in Yongin against Johor what he thought of playing at this level. His answer was measured - believing in his ability before thanking his teammates - but as we left the press conference that night, I thought it would be the last time I'd ever see Asani live in action (for Gwangju at least). Perhaps his age is beginning to count against him (he turns 30 in May) but this is undoubtedly a player who can operate at a higher level than Gwangju, whether that is elsewhere in K League or abroad. It isn't just the match winning goals; the thing that sets the Albanian apart is the quality of those finishes. Some of his AFC goals are breathtaking, to say the least. Asani is a proper team player and a joy to watch.

Moon Min-seo enjoyed a fairytale start to his professional career. The local lad made his debut in round four in the Moonlight Derby against Daegu FC and opened the scoring midway through the first half. What was extra special was the goal came from the penalty spot. Manager Lee made the decision to allow Moon convert the spot kick in front of the away fans as part of his development. By the close of the season, Moon had started 27 matches in K League 1, and been part of 32 matchday squads. Of course, this being K League, several of those starts didn't amount for much more than the token 22 minutes you often see, but to play 1,390 minutes as a 20 year old midfielder is very impressive. Moon made the bench for three AFC Elite games, but has yet to feature in the tournament. He turns 21 a few days after Gwangju open their season account at home to Suwon FC. Side notes: Moon and I share the same birthday, another addition to the plus column? What's depressing, but becoming increasingly evident as the years move by, is this professional footballer was just five years old when I moved to his hometown in 2009.

Biggest Question

Can Lee Jung-hyo continue to get a tune out of his limited squad?

Manager Lee Jung-hyo has performed miracles at Gwangju FC since taking over in 2022. The club was reeling from relegation to the second division when they trusted Lee with his first managerial post. To that point, he had been part of coaching tickets at Jeju SK, Seongnam, Gwangju, and Jeonnam Dragons. Lee brought Gwangju up at the first time of asking, pulling clear of FC Anyang and Daejeon Hana Citizen towards the end of the season. In their first season back in K League 1, Gwangju finished 3rd (qualifying for AFC Champions League Elite) and, in 2024, despite a drop off in league form, they made the last four in the Cup and are well placed to qualify from their group in Asia. As he approaches his 50th birthday, the highly regarded yet confrontational manager will surely have his sights set higher than a small club with the second lowest average attendances in the league (4,912 per game).

The big move he was arguably holding out for almost came to fruition in early winter. Lee was on the shortlist to take over at Jeolla-do rivals Jeonbuk Motors. It was widely reported the club was keen to hire a foreign manager, and that's what transpired when Uruguayan Gus Poyet signed a contract. It is unclear yet to what extent Lee was interested in the job, and whether his head was turned by the glances from Jeonju. But it must be difficult to return to pre-season with Gwangju and face another season battling against the odds when your best players will always be poached. Gwangju have lost three top class midfielders in the last 12 months, so Lee must construct another midfield to keep Gwangju alive. His touchline style is unique, and presumably this appeals to a team of underdogs. Smartly dressed, he is regularly seen kicking objects like water bottles, gesticulating wildly at match officials, or screaming so loud that it blocks out the noise from that stands. He's a compelling character, an asset to this league, but maybe he's become a big fish in Gwangju's small pond.

Reason to Watch

Gwangju are leaving their ramshackle, dilapidated, and, at times, dangerous little ground for the World Cup Stadium next season. The official reason is because the pitch is in a poor state, but other problems exist. In 2023, the south stand was closed for weeks because cracks were discovered in the temporary stand behind the goal. The entire stadium feels temporary, with tarping added to hide the ugly parts. Lipstick on a pig. The Gwangju Football Stadium is in the shadows of the World Cup Stadium, so at least the move will be short. Gwangju FC have played there before and even used it for some of their ACL Elite matches last year, so they'll be familiar with the surroundings. The stadium is far too big and it has a running track, but despite the enormous stands and vast emptiness, it must be better than the yellow bucket seats and cracked structures next door?