Atletico Madrid sign Lee Kang-in from Paris Saint-Germain
Madrid, July 25
Spanish club Atletico Madrid on Saturday confirmed the signing of South Korean international midfielder Lee Kang-in from Paris Saint-Germain.
The 25-year-old has signed a contract with Atletico until the end of June 2031, and returns to La Liga for a price reported to be around 40 million euros (around 45.5 million US dollars), reports Xinhua.
"A talented 25-year-old left-footed midfielder, he can play as an attacking midfielder or on either wing and is known for his vision, exquisite ball control, and passing and shooting ability," said the Atletico Madrid official website.
Born on February 19, 2001, in Incheon (South Korea), Kang In Lee joined the Valencia CF youth academy at the age of just 10 and made his first team debut on October 30, 2018, in a Copa del Rey match. He would go on to win the tournament that season, playing six cup games along the way.
The winger made 62 appearances for Valencia before moving to Mallorca in August 2021. In Palma, he was a key player in the line-ups of Luis García Plaza and Javier Aguirre, making 73 appearances over two seasons before signing for PSG in the summer of 2023.
Kang-in Lee made 124 appearances for the Parisian side, scoring 16 goals and providing 16 assists - and won two Champions Leagues, one UEFA Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup, as well as three Ligue 1 titles, two French Cups and two French Super Cups.
At International level, in 2019 he led his national team to the runners-up spot at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, a tournament in which he was named the competition's Golden Ball winner. He also won a gold medal at the 2022 Asian Games - although the event was actually held in 2023 - as part of a South Korean U-23 side that beat Japan 2-1 in the final.
Kang-in Lee made his debut for his country's senior team in a friendly match on Sep. 5, 2019 against Georgia (2-2). Since then, he has made 50 appearances for South Korea - the most recent of these came at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Atletico have now made three signings this summer, bringing in Spain left back Alex Grimaldo and Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Interesting move. Lee Kang-in never quite became a starter at PSG despite his clear talent. Atletico could be the perfect place for him to rediscover his best form. Simeone is known for getting the best out of technically gifted players - just look at what he did with Griezmann. Hope he succeeds in La Liga! ❤️
As a football fan, I'm excited! South Korean players are making waves globally - Son Heung-min, Kim Min-jae, and now Lee Kang-in. He's young, versatile, and has proven himself at Valencia and Mallorca. 40 million euros seems steep, but in today's market it's reasonable for a player of his potential. Atletico are building a strong squad this summer. 🔥
I'm not entirely convinced. Lee Kang-in is talented, no doubt, but 40 million euros for a player who was mostly a rotation option at PSG? Atletico could have spent that money on a proven striker or a more defensive midfielder. They already have plenty of creative players. Let's see how Simeone fits him into the system.
What a journey! From Valencia's youth academy to winning the Copa del Rey, then starring at Mallorca, and now a treble with PSG? And he's only 25! The Asian Games gold medal is also impressive - beating Japan in the final must have been special for Korean fans. Atletico are getting a proven winner. ⚡
As an Indian, I wish we had
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