"Will there be an opportunity for Lee Kang-in?"

Multiple media outlets, including France's L'Équipe and L'Equipe, reported on the 3rd (Korea time) that "Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is seriously considering selling Lee Kang-in in the upcoming summer transfer market, and the club and player representatives are expected to meet to make a decision after the season ends."

Currently, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) is focused on its biggest goal of winning the UEFA Champions League this season, but Lee Kang-in is excluded from that journey. Lee Kang-in earned the trust of manager Luis Enrique early in the season, but his playing time has decreased as time went on. In particular, during the first leg of the Champions League semifinals against Arsenal, he remained on the bench and did not step onto the field for even a minute.

In fact, due to Enrique's rotation policy, Duran has established himself as the first substitute, while Barcola is the second option. Lee Kang-in has become the third option for substitutions, making it relatively difficult for him to play. Ultimately, since there is no position for him to enter, the speculation about Lee Kang-in's transfer has intensified.

By closely examining Lee Kang-in's participation, the most important factor that confirms his standing within the team can be identified: his playing time in the UEFA Champions League. It is markedly different around 2024 and 2025. In fact, in the match against Arsenal held on October 1, 2024, and against Salzburg on December 10, 2024, he started and played the full match.

However, in the knockout stage, he did not participate in the home match (0-1 loss) against Liverpool in the Round of 16, and only appeared for 19 minutes in the away match (5-1 win). He also did not play for even a minute in both the home (3-1 win) and away (2-3 loss) matches in the quarterfinals against Aston Villa. Ultimately, during the first leg of the semifinals against Arsenal, he did not see the field for even a minute, meaning he has not been able to play a key role.

Ultimately, this background has led to the assessment that Lee Kang-in is outside of PSG's main lineup. No matter how well the coach speaks about him, the situation where he cannot play in important matches is not ideal. Consequently, re-signing appears to be a choice to maintain Lee Kang-in's market value for potential sale.

Additionally, further transfer speculations have arisen. In this regard, French media evaluated, "Lee Kang-in is now classified as a complete backup member." Of course, PSG does not plan to let Lee Kang-in go without compensation. The club still highly values his potential and marketability and plans to negotiate after setting an appropriate transfer fee.

While the exact amount has not been disclosed, many teams, including Premier League clubs, have already shown interest in Lee Kang-in. Among them, Arsenal, which will clash with PSG this week, is also reported to be interested. This is not the first time there has been speculation about Lee Kang-in moving to Arsenal.

In January, Matteo Moreto of Spain's Relevo reported, "Lee Kang-in is receiving interest from several clubs," while The Athletic noted, "Arsenal considers Lee Kang-in to be a player who fits well with the team and is showing great interest."

Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembélé, who was injured in the first leg against Arsenal ahead of the Strasbourg match, will miss the game. Manager Luis Enrique said, "Dembélé cannot play due to injury. Perhaps the injury is more serious than expected, so he might not be able to participate." While no exact predictions regarding the Arsenal match have been made, the possibility of using Lee Kang-in as a substitute has increased.

In a way, Dembélé's injury could serve as a turning point for Lee Kang-in. It remains to be seen whether Lee Kang-in can seize the approaching opportunity to play.

[OSEN]