‘Golden Boy’ Lee Kang-in (Mallorca)’s move to Atletico Madrid has fallen through yet again. Instead, a move to the English Premier League is becoming more likely.
On the 12th (KST), Spain’s Lillebo reported that ‘Lee Kang-in will not sign with Atletico Madrid. This is a change from 10 days ago. On Feb. 2, Spain’s OK Diario reported that ‘Atletico Madrid has sent the first official offer to Mallorca’s Lee Kang-in’. ‘The first offer was for the player plus cash,’ OK Diario said. The previous day, Spanish outlet Pichajes journalist Enrique Canieras wrote on Twitter that ‘Atletico Madrid have proposed a €15 million transfer fee for Lee, while sending attacking option Rodrigo Riquelme to Mallorca on loan’.
However, Rilevo concluded that ‘Lee’s move to Atletico Madrid is unlikely to happen unless things take a sudden and unexpected turn,’ adding that ‘Mallorca and Atletico Madrid have failed to reach an agreement. Talks between the clubs have effectively broken down in the last few hours. He went on to predict that the player’s destination will be outside of Spain. “He has received offers from other European clubs outside the English Premier League,” Lillevo said.
The Atletico Madrid saga has taken many twists and turns. Initially, it appeared that Lee’s destination was narrowing down to Atletico Madrid. It started on April 28. On April 28, Matteo Moretto, a reporter for Spain’s Relevo, reported that Atletico Madrid was interested in Lee Kang-in. “Lee is very close to Atletico,” Moreto said. Atletico Madrid have been interested in him since he was a youth player at Valencia. They made an offer last winter, which was rejected by Mallorca. Now, a move to Atletico is closer than ever. Diego Simeone has authorized the signing.”
As is known, Atletico Madrid wanted to sign Lee in last winter’s transfer window as well. Lee was looking for a new challenge, but was unable to fulfill his wishes due to opposition from Mallorca. Atletico Madrid have been making major changes this season. They are likely to part ways with João Felix, who is currently on loan at Chelsea, and another attacking midfielder, Lemar, is also likely to leave the club. Atletico Madrid are looking to bolster their attacking lineup if they are to challenge for the title next season, and Lee has been touted as a key piece of the puzzle.
Things were looking good for Atletico Madrid, but then something happened. Atletico Madrid suddenly backed out. “The idea that Atletico Madrid would pay €20 million for Lee is nonsense,” said Marca in Spain. ‘Atletico Madrid’s hierarchy have made it clear that they will not sign him for €20 million. It would have to be below €10 million for him to be a possibility. Cádena Ser’s Pedro Pulana even took to social media to say: ‘Atletico Madrid are not interested in Lee Kang-in. He’s not on the list. Instead, Atletico Madrid seemed to be leaning towards a loan return for Riquelme.
With this report, the Atletico Madrid rumors seemed to die down. However, it has recently been rekindled. According to OK Diario, “Atletico 토토사이트 Madrid’s interest in Lee is very serious. Atletico Madrid have already made two inquiries about the player and are expected to make a transfer offer soon. This means that they could bring him back if the price is right. However, with the report from Rilevo, it looks like Lee’s move to Atletico Madrid is off the table again.
Even without Atletico Madrid, Lee’s summer is set to be a hot one. It was a season that needs no explanation. He played 2840 minutes in 36 games (33 starts) in the Spanish Primera Liga, scoring six goals and providing six assists. It was the first double-digit offensive point total for a Korean player in La Liga. Lee Kang-in was nominated for the Primera Liga’s Team of the Year for the 2022-2023 season on March 2. Although he didn’t win the award, it was the first time a South Korean player was nominated for Team of the Year. On April 28, he was also named Best Goal of the 30th round of La Liga. Lee received a whopping 65% of the vote, beating out Rafa Mir, Alexis Sanchez, Centeno, and Ferrantores. Lee scored the winner against Getafe in second-half stoppage time after sprinting 70 meters. It was reminiscent of Son Heung-min’s goal against Burnley, which won him the Pushkas Award. Lee is the first South Korean player to win the Best Goal of the Round award. Lee was also nominated for Player of the Month for April. This is also the first time a Korean player has been nominated for Player of the Month.
Lee’s skills have only gotten better this season. The numbers speak for themselves. Lee has 90 successful dribbles this season. That’s the fourth-highest number of successful dribbles in all five European leagues. In La Liga alone, he’s second only to Vinicius Junior. His success rate is even more impressive. 68%. That’s a staggering 68%. Lionel Messi is in the 50s, so you can see how good Lee is at dribbling. His key passes and chances created are also among the best in the league.
Mallorca’s performance also exceeded expectations. They finished ninth. They failed to qualify for the seventh spot in the European club competition, but still managed to finish in the top 10. This is a remarkable achievement considering they were initially considered a relegation candidate. At the center of it all was Lee Kang-in, who received a relay of praise from the Spanish media. Spain’s Apición Deportiva gave Lee a season rating of 10. A perfect score. “He was the key to Mallorca’s success. He has had a brilliant season, showing his quality in every game,” while the Mallorca Daily Bulletin said, “He has been Mallorca’s best player this season and is irreplaceable. Marca named Lee as one of the top 11 players in La Liga this season based on fantasy game points. He was up there with the likes of Vinicius, Lewandowski, Griezmann, and others. Lee was also named to Marca’s Silver Eleven, the second team of the season. Benzema, Douglas, Kamabinga, and others also made the list.
English clubs such as Aston Villa, Newcastle, Man City, and Manchester United are currently interested in the player. Aston Villa are said to be particularly keen, having just qualified for Europe. The variable is the buyout. According to Spain’s Marca, “Lee is more expensive than he was a season ago. His starting price is €25 million”. This is much higher than the €17-18 million originally reported. While some deny this, it’s clear that Lee’s performances this season have raised his price tag. For a deep-pocketed EPL club, this may not seem like a lot of money, but it’s also a lot of money. Unlike us, it’s not all warm and fuzzy when it comes to Lee Kang-In.