Gwangju's head coach Lee Jung-hyo gives tactical instructions during a match between Gwangju FC and Shanghai Shenhua in the 5th round of the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) stage held at the Gwangju World Cup Stadium in Gwangju, Nov. 27. Yonhap
Gwangju FC announced Tuesday they will bring back head coach Lee Jung-hyo for the 2025 K League 1 season, retaining the highly respected tactician after weeks of speculation over his departure.
Without disclosing financial details of the new deal, Gwangju FC said they will task Lee with taking the club to a higher place next year.
Lee, 49, was named Gwangju FC's bench boss ahead of the 2022 season while they were still in the second-tier K League 2. They went on to earn direct promotion to the K League 1 by capturing the K League 2 title and did so with a league-record 86 points.
In their first season back in the top competition in 2023, Gwangju FC finished in third place with 59 points, and Lee earned praise for bringing out the best in a club with a modest budget and talent.
This year, Gwangju FC managed 47 points to finish in ninth place. However, they have excelled in the 2024-25 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite tournament so far, with 13 points from four wins, one draw and one loss putting them in second place in the league stage. With two matches remaining in the early phase, Gwangju FC are poised to qualify for the round of 16 scheduled for March 2025.
After the 2024 K League 1 season ended, Lee was linked to the head coaching vacancy at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, nine-time K League 1 champions coming off a disappointing season.
Earlier Tuesday, Jeonbuk said former Sunderland and Greece men's national team boss Gus Poyet will be their new head coach, and Gwangju FC's announcement of their new deal with Lee followed hours later.
"We will try to settle things down after dealing with rumors surrounding coach Lee's status," Gwangju FC said in a statement. "We will ratchet up our preparation for the 2025 season and the remaining matches at the AFC Champions League Elite."
Gwangju FC are set to open winter training camp in Thailand on Jan. 3. Their first official match of the new year will be Feb. 11 against Shandong Taishan, their seventh league phase match of the AFC Champions League Elite. (Yonhap)