Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain) has faced absurd criticism even in his tough second year at PSG.
French media 'Le 10 Sport' reported on the 23rd (Korean time) that "Pierre Ménès strongly criticized PSG's acquisition of Lee Kang-in as a terrible choice." PSG drew 1-1 in a match against Nantes in the 29th round of the 2024-2025 French Ligue 1, held on the same day at the Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, France. Having already confirmed the championship, PSG continued their undefeated streak with 24 wins and 6 draws after 30 matches.
Lee Kang-in also started and provided one assist. Playing as a right winger, he assisted Vitinha's opening goal with a brilliant pass in the 33rd minute, marking his sixth assist of the season. It was his first attacking point in about two months. On that day, Lee Kang-in left the field in the 63rd minute, substituted for Gonzalo Hamus. Over 63 minutes on the pitch, he registered 1 assist, 1 shot, and 2 chance creations. Football statistics outlet 'Footmob' gave Lee Kang-in a rating of 7.8, the third highest at PSG. However, PSG conceded a goal in the 38th minute of the second half, missing out on victory.
Nevertheless, French journalist Ménès unleashed harsh criticism towards Lee Kang-in. Le 10 Sport reported, "What if PSG signed a wrong contract? This is exactly how Ménès feels about Lee Kang-in's acquisition. As a former 'L'Equipe' journalist, he sees Lee as worth 0 points at PSG. Ménès also openly spoke about the controversy surrounding Lee Kang-in's Asian marketing."
Ménès, who worked as a columnist, claimed on his YouTube channel, "Is Lee Kang-in selling more jerseys than PSG is paying him in salary? I don’t know. I call him 'terrible Lee Kang-in.' I don’t think he’s a bad player. But PSG is too high a level of a team for him."
He further stated, "Players like him would perform better at clubs with less pressure than PSG. But I have never seen Lee Kang-in dribble. I think it’s a recruitment mistake," adding, "Vitinha scored from the ball that Lee Kang-in passed in the air. It was credited as Lee Kang-in’s assist. He simply added an assist thanks to Vitinha."
Of course, it’s true that Lee Kang-in has struggled for a starting position in the second half. However, making belittling remarks about a player with 6 goals and 6 assists this season is truly absurd. Particularly, saying that a player who recorded an assist was merely lucky is a disrespectful statement.
Currently, Lee Kang-in is embroiled in transfer rumors due to being sidelined in the competition at PSG. Until the first half, he secured playing time as a false nine, right and left winger, and central midfielder. Although it was disappointing that he couldn't firmly establish himself in a single position, he also received praise from Manager Luis Enrique.
However, the atmosphere changed immediately after the winter transfer window closed. Lee Kang-in became a bench player after Hvicha Kvaratskhelia joined the team. Ousmane Dembélé has been performing crazily and was appointed as the new striker, while Désiré Doué and Bradley Barcola also gain trust from Manager Enrique. In midfield, players like Vitinha, João Neves, and Fabian Ruiz are chosen first.
Naturally, transfer rumors emerged. French media 'Sport' stated, "Lee Kang-in was signed to solidify his position in PSG’s midfield but has not become an essential player. The PSG board is considering selling Lee Kang-in to create room for new reinforcements. It is still uncertain whether they will choose to loan or transfer him to revitalize him after he failed to find a proper place in Paris."
French 'Foot 01' also reported, "Lee Kang-in has not firmly established himself as a starting player in the manager's mind and wants more playing time. This situation cannot persist in the long term. It is now time for Lee Kang-in to leave. A transfer seems inevitable," noting that Crystal Palace and Manchester United are targeting Lee Kang-in.
However, Manager Enrique is being cautious. In his first start in a while against Le Havre, he tested various possibilities by playing in an unfamiliar defensive midfielder position. When asked whether Lee Kang-in could play as a defensive midfielder again, Enrique replied, "Yes. There is no doubt that we will see Lee Kang-in play in that position again. He has outstanding abilities in handling the ball, both in short passes and long passes."
Additionally, he stated, "Of course, this is not an ideal position for Lee Kang-in. When he plays as a defensive midfielder, defensive support is needed," adding, "My goal is to have all players, including him, step out of their comfort zones. I hope the players explore their mental ability, even if it’s a position they don’t like. That brings them a lot."
It remains to be seen whether Lee Kang-in can truly establish himself in such a situation.
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