“It’s just a great thing to be part of and I can’t wait to get started"

Wolverhampton Wanderers has signed a British Chinese midfielder

Wolves reports that Wolverhampton FC has signed 18-year-old British Chinese midfielder Hong.

The young footballer as the former captain of Yeovil Town’s under-18s and has risen through he Academy at Charlton Athletic.

Hong was born in Croydon and is of Chinese and Malaysian heritage.

“It’s a great opportunity and I’m very grateful to have been given a chance to be at such a great club,” he said. “We’ve all seen how well Wolves have played this season, not just the first-team but the under-23s as well, and it’s certainly a club that’s on the rise. It’s a great feeling to be part of it.”

“I was captain of the under-18s at Yeovil Town last season and we had a good run where we reached the highest ever placing of the club at that age group, so I had a very good season there, but I’m excited to now be here at Wolves.”

Academy manager Scott Sellars said Hong will be a welcomed addition to the team.

With every player we look at bringing in to the Academy, first and foremost they must have the ability,” he said. “Hong’s been training with us recently and definitely has the ability, but he also has a great personality and clearly loves playing football.”

“We’re hoping he’s going to bring these qualities to Wolves and expect him to fit in well with the programme we have in place in the Academy.”

Sellars added that as the club is owned by Chinese conglomerate Fosun, Chinese players are encouraged.

“Throughout the Academy, we have an objective to develop players not just for the first-team at Wolves, but also for a future career in professional football, and due to our ownership under Fosun, there is a large emphasis on developing young and talented Chinese players.”

Hong said he will join Wolves’ development team and has already been training with the under-23s.

“I would love to crack on and get myself in and around the under-23s next season, hopefully break into the team, and then I hope to make the step-up into the first-team,” he said. “Being in and around the first-team at Wolves would be brilliant. From the short time I’ve been here you can already see the high standards of the club.”

“To reach Europe in their first season in the Premier League is outstanding and you can see that the club is in the ascendancy. It’s just a great thing to be part of and I can’t wait to get started.”