Freiburg bids farewell to Jung “A true team player, thank you”
Former club Freiburg has bid a bittersweet farewell to Jung Woo-young (24-Stuttgart) as he embarks on a new challenge.
Freiburg announced the news of Jung’s departure through the club’s official social media accounts on Wednesday (July 12). The South Korean striker had been with Freiburg since 2019. However, he left the team on the same day to join Stuttgart in the same league. In response, Freiburg uploaded five photos of Jung with the greeting “DANKE, WOO!”. Danke means “thank you” in German.
He continued, “Jung Woo Young left Freiburg and headed to Stuttgart. I want to say thank you and wish him all the best for the future,” he wrote.
The former Bayern Munich player donned the Freiburg jersey in 2019. After a one-season loan spell with the Bavarians, he returned to the club and became a regular in the Freiburg lineup. In the 2021-2022 season, he made the leap to the first team, scoring five goals and providing two assists in 32 league appearances. That season, Freiburg finished sixth in the league and qualified for the Europa League.
This season, things were different. Freiburg have strengthened their squad with the addition of Japanese striker Doan Ritsu, and competition for places in the starting lineup has increased. Jung Woo-young’s place has also diminished, with Doan Ritsu playing more in the same position. Jung made 26 league appearances last season, but only four starts. Even though Freiburg finished fifth in the league, Jung was not smiling. Eventually, he decided to move on in search of playing time.
He wore the number 29 shirt and played a variety of positions for the team, from left flanker to attacking midfielder to frontline striker. He even had a one-goal, one-assist performance against Nantes (France) in the Europa League last October.
Freiburg hasn’t forgotten about Jung’s dedication either. According to Sky Sports Germany, Freiburg head coach Clemens Hartenbach said, “We are grateful for his exemplary behavior on the pitch and in the locker room. He was a true team player,” he said in a heartfelt farewell.
Stuttgart announced the signing of Jung Woo-young on their official website today. He will sign a three-year contract until 2026. The exact transfer fee was not disclosed. However, according to German kicker, the transfer fee for Jung Woo-young is said to be around 2.8 million euros (about 4 billion won). If Jung Woo-young resolves his military service issues, such as winning a gold medal at the Asian Games, the transfer fee will rise to €4 million ($5.6 billion).
Jung is a much-needed addition for Stuttgart. Last season, Stuttgart faced relegation after a long slump. They finished 16th in the league 꽁머니. However, they managed to stay up in the relegation playoffs, beating Hamburg, the third-place team in the second division. One of the team’s biggest problems was an anemic offense. The team scored 45 goals, the fifth fewest in the league. There was also a lack of creativity, with a team-high seven assists coming from flanker Borna Sosa, who isn’t a striker or midfielder. The addition of Jung Woo-young, with his flickering passing and prolific play, is a big boost. In fact, Jung was given the number 10 shirt, which symbolizes the ace. He’ll get plenty of opportunities.
“Stuttgart is a good team and I think this move is a good fit for me,” said Jung via the club. I’ve already played a few matches with Stuttgart, so I know how good the atmosphere is here. It was one of the reasons why I wanted to make the move, and I’m really happy to be playing for Stuttgart.”