After this season, Choi Hyung-woo’s three-year, 4.7 billion won FA contract with KIA in December 2020 expires. Choi Hyung-woo is not immediately released as an FA because the deadline for re-acquisition of FA is four years. KIA will also have the right to hold off on Choi Hyung-woo next year. Usually, in this case, a one-year salary contract is signed as a regular player, not as an FA.
However, as Choi Hyung-woo rejuvenated this year, there was also talk of a multi-year contract. Until now, a player in his 40s has never signed a non-FA multi-year contract. Lee Won-seok, who signed a 2+1-year contract with Kiwoom in June for a total of 1 billion won, was the oldest non-FA contractor at 37 years old. As such, KIA highly valued Choi Hyung-woo and was expected to reach an agreement on the proper level. 스포츠토토
However, an unexpected injury has also had a significant impact on the contract. Looking at the surgery and rehabilitation period alone, there seems to be no big problem in preparation for next year. If he focuses on off-season rehabilitation, he will be able to join the team in time for the spring camp in February next year.
However, considering the age of 40, resilience cannot be easily guaranteed. It is difficult to predict the prognosis of a player of that age, no matter how hard his body is. KIA teams have no choice but to take a more cautious approach to multi-year contracts. In the meantime, the contribution will be acknowledged, but the contract focuses on expectations in the future.
It is a big loss of power for the KIA team as well, but the personal loss of Choi Hyung-woo, who was injured ahead of the expiration of his FA contract, seems inevitable. KIA’s head hurts in many ways, including Choi Hyung-woo’s contract, although it has to devote all of its capacity to fighting for the round of five.