FC Nantes have entered negotiations with Bundesliga side Mainz to secure a loan deal for South Korean midfielder Hong Hyun-Seok, according to reports from Sky Germany and Ouest-France. The French club are actively pursuing a temporary move for the 26-year-old.

Hong only joined Mainz earlier this year, moving from Belgian side Gent in a transfer reportedly worth €4 million. His time in Germany has been relatively brief, and a loan switch to Ligue 1 could offer him more consistent playing time.

Contrary to earlier reports, Hong’s European career began in Austria with LASK in 2021, following his development at Ulsan Hyundai’s youth academy. After an impressive spell in the Austrian Bundesliga, he made the switch to Gent in 2022, where he established himself as a technically adept and tactically intelligent midfielder.

Nantes, meanwhile, are undergoing significant squad restructuring ahead of the 2025–26 season, having parted ways with several senior players including Moses Simon, Pedro Chirivella, Nicolas Pallois, Douglas Augusto, Marcus Coco, and Florent Mollet. So far, only Serbian centre-back Uroš Radaković and young goalkeeper Alexis Mirbach have been brought in.

According to Ouest-France, Nantes have proposed a season-long loan for Hong and are currently in active talks with Mainz. The club views the South Korean international as a creative and versatile option to fill the midfield void left by multiple departures.

Should an agreement be reached, Hong would become one of the rare South Korean players to feature in Ligue 1, and potentially a key piece in Nantes’ efforts to rebuild competitiveness for the 2025–26 campaign.