With the value of Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) rising, will Paris Saint-Germain let him go?

El Desmarque reported on the 1st (Korea time) that "Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra is attracting interest from several Premier League clubs. During the process of Guerra's agent contacting local clubs in the UK, Lee Kang-in's name also came up," thereby revisiting the possibility of Lee Kang-in's transfer.

Lee Kang-in has been struggling at Paris Saint-Germain this season. Early in the season, he oscillated between a starter and a key rotation member, but following the summer transfer market, he was pushed out as the team was reorganized. Additionally, he suffered an injury while on the national team, making the situation even more challenging.

Lee Kang-in has played 41 games for Paris Saint-Germain since the start of the 2024-2025 season, recording 6 goals and 5 assists, but he has been substituted in as many as 19 times, struggling to secure a starting position. As his standing has diminished, claims have emerged that Lee Kang-in may leave Paris Saint-Germain in the upcoming summer.

Despite this, Lee Kang-in continues to attract interest from English clubs due to his proven capabilities. On Jan. 8, prominent Spanish media outlet Relevo's Matteo Moreto stated, "There are several European clubs showing interest in Lee Kang-in," indicating that Lee Kang-in's future could become one of the major topics of discussion in the winter transfer market.

Moreto is recognized as a highly reliable transfer market expert in Spain and has conveyed accurate information regarding Lee Kang-in. In fact, he is known for being among the first to report on Lee Kang-in's signing with Paris Saint-Germain.

Additionally, European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano noted, "Two Premier League clubs are closely monitoring Lee Kang-in," while adding, "Paris Saint-Germain does not plan to transfer him this winter." In the end, Lee Kang-in stayed at Paris Saint-Germain until the closure of the January transfer market.

Despite this, interest in Lee Kang-in did not wane after the conclusion of the winter transfer market. France's PSG-specific outlet Planet PSG reported on Feb. 14 that "Paris Saint-Germain is considering releasing Lee Kang-in in the summer," reigniting discussions regarding his future.

At that time, Lee Kang-in's standing at Paris Saint-Germain had already diminished. The media explained that "the PSG leadership no longer sees Lee Kang-in as a core resource, and they are likely to pursue a sale if appropriate offers come in."

Sport France reported in February that "Paris Saint-Germain is already preparing for the summer transfer market, and a first major transfer may be underway," adding that "Lee Kang-in has been regularly utilized by manager Luis Enrique, but it has emerged that the club no longer wants him," and he is listed for transfer in the summer of 2025.

They also claimed, "Lee Kang-in, who arrived at Paris Saint-Germain for a transfer fee of €22 million (about 34.6 billion won) in 2023, is currently valued at €30 million (about 47.2 billion won), which presents a significant financial opportunity for PSG," arguing that the club needs to release Lee Kang-in in the summer for financial reasons.

The Athletic announced in January that "One of the players Arsenal is discussing could be Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain," stating that "Despite regularly playing under manager Luis Enrique, Lee Kang-in is considering his options at PSG. He is open to new challenges."

Furthermore, they added that "Paris Saint-Germain is not actively pursuing the sale of Lee Kang-in and holds him in high regard on and off the field," stating, "Lee Kang-in has a significant impact in the Asian market. To secure him, a transfer fee is needed that is at least double the €22 million (about 34.6 billion won) paid to acquire him from Mallorca in 2023."

Sport France reported in February that "Paris Saint-Germain is already preparing for the summer transfer market, and a first major transfer may be underway," adding that "Lee Kang-in has been regularly utilized by manager Luis Enrique, but it has emerged that the club no longer wants him," and he is listed for transfer in the summer of 2025.

Particularly, news that Lee Kang-in's agent visited Premier League clubs has increased the likelihood of his transfer. Additionally, there is considerable interest in Manchester United among the clubs visited by his agent, which was linked to Lee Kang-in during the January winter transfer market.

Lee Kang-in's transfer fee is likely to reach €44 million (about 70.2 billion won). It will be interesting to see what results will come from the financial battle between Arsenal and Manchester United pursuing Lee Kang-in.

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