Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain) has received an opportunity.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) announced the squad for the second leg of the semifinals of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League (UCL) against Arsenal, which will be held at 4 a.m. (Korean time) on the 8th at Parc des Princes in Paris, France. The first leg, held in London, ended with PSG winning 1-0.

In this match, 22 players including Lee Kang-in were announced. Although his participation was uncertain due to injury, he thankfully participated in the final training the day before. Additionally, Ousmane Dembélé, who missed the previous match due to injury, was also included in the list. The British 'The Sun' noted on the 7th, "Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, and Andrea Berta, the Director General of Arsenal, have shown interest in Lee Kang-in," adding, "Lee Kang-in has been excluded from the rotation at PSG and is on the transfer list. If it’s possible to recoup the transfer fee, he will be sold."

Lee Kang-in deleted the PSG phrase that was written in his Instagram bio on the 6th. Although the photos he uploaded with PSG teammates remain intact, the team name has been removed. Naturally, fans interpreted that Lee Kang-in, who has recently been swept up in transfer rumors, left another transfer hint.

Though Lee Kang-in is active on social media, there have been few changes to his profile. In fact, during his time at Mallorca, he also removed the club name from his Instagram before moving to PSG. This incident is also seen as a signal that a farewell to PSG is approaching.

Currently, rumors surrounding Lee Kang-in's transfer are heating up. Recently, Spain's 'Estadio Deportivo' reported, "Lee Kang-in is ready to end his time with PSG. PSG has allowed Lee Kang-in's transfer as they prepare for the next season. Arsenal has shown interest in him, and his market value has already been determined."

The media stated, "Lee Kang-in will leave PSG this summer. PSG is facing one of its most important moments in history. Having already secured the league title weeks ago, PSG's goal is to win the UEFA Champions League (UCL). While it is uncertain what will happen in the semifinal second leg against Arsenal, the PSG board is already paying attention to the future and team composition," indicating that PSG is planning for the summer transfer market.

Lee Kang-in left Mallorca in Spain in the summer of 2023 and donned the PSG jersey. He caught the eye of Director General Luis Campos and signed a five-year contract with high expectations. At that time, the transfer fee was around 22 million euros (approximately 34.5 billion won). After a decent first season, Lee Kang-in seemed to be gaining more trust from coach Luis Enrique this season.

Until the early part of the season, Lee Kang-in showcased his versatility by playing various roles including 'False Nine', right winger, and central midfielder. He also accumulated several attacking points, aiming for a career-high. However, starting from the winter transfer window, his presence in the team significantly decreased. With new arrivals rising rapidly, Lee Kang-in fell behind in the competition for a starting position.

He has become a rotation player without being able to secure a starting position either as a central midfielder or a wide attacker. In fact, Lee Kang-in has been mostly confined to the bench even in the crucial UCL stage. Entering the tournament, he played only a total of 16 minutes. He was even unavailable for selection as a bench member in the previous match against Arsenal.

Consequently, transfer speculation continues unabated. France's 'Sport' claimed, "Lee Kang-in was brought in to solidify his position in the PSG midfield, but he has not become an essential player. The PSG board is considering selling Lee Kang-in to create space for new reinforcements."

Lee Kang-in's record for this season stands at 43 matches, 6 goals, and 6 assists. However, among those, 24 matches were as a starter and 19 as a substitute. His total playing time is 2,307 minutes, making him 14th on the team. Particularly, as his role has diminished in the second half, he has effectively disappeared from the UCL stage, thus increasing the likelihood of a transfer.

From the player's perspective, he is also in a situation where he wants to transfer. It is understandable that Lee Kang-in may feel dissatisfaction. According to France's prominent outlet 'L'Équipe', he wants to receive more opportunities in important matches. However, as the team is performing well, he is tolerating the situation without causing issues. PSG and Lee Kang-in are expected to discuss their future after the season concludes.

Now, PSG is also open to selling Lee Kang-in. PSG rejected Arsenal's offer last winter transfer window, but now they are considering allowing a transfer if an appropriate proposal comes in. Additionally, the transfer fee has also been set at a realistic level. 'L'Équipe' explained that a fee of 20 million euros (approximately 31.7 billion won) would enable PSG to sit at the negotiation table.

As of January, PSG was demanding double the transfer fee of 22 million euros (approximately 34.7 billion won) that it had paid to Mallorca in 2023, but has halved their demand within just six months. The leading destination is the Premier League. In fact, several clubs, including Arsenal, inquired about signing Lee Kang-in last winter, but PSG rejected all inquiries.

Lee Kang-in is being linked not only to Arsenal but also to Manchester United, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Tottenham Hotspur. At that time, Italian 'Tuttomercato' reported, "Newcastle and Manchester United have sent scouts multiple times to observe Lee Kang-in. Both clubs have inquired for information and will attempt to sign him. Initial contacts have already been made. The estimated value is around 40 million euros (approximately 60.4 billion won). The amount may change once negotiations begin."

France's 'Foot 01' also stated, "Manchester United, with far greater financial power than Palace, is participating in the competition to sign Lee Kang-in. Coach Ruben Amorim highly values him. Amorim is confident that Lee Kang-in can contribute to his tactical system." Furthermore, Lee Kang-in's agent, Javier Garrido, visited England last month, conducting talks with Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Everton, thereby fueling the rumors.

Among them, Arsenal is strongly linked to Lee Kang-in. Arsenal, which wanted Lee Kang-in last winter, may move again. At that time, it was reported that manager Mikel Arteta attempted to sign Lee Kang-in amidst a spate of injuries to forwards including Bukayo Saka.

'Estadio Deportivo' reported, "Arsenal is knocking on the door. They will welcome Lee Kang-in's arrival next season. Arsenal will have no trouble bringing in Lee Kang-in at the amount desired by PSG. This will be a special request from manager Mikel Arteta."

'The Sun' emphasized, "Manager Arteta and Director General Berta are directly showing interest in Lee Kang-in. Berta had been interested in Lee Kang-in even during his tenure with Atlético, but the player transferred to PSG."

The most important factor in this process is the match Lee Kang-in showcases against Arsenal. 'The Sun' stated, "Lee Kang-in is now listed on PSG's release list. What is needed is a reasonable transfer fee. The player himself is also dissatisfied with his playing time and has interest," adding, "As Arsenal is actively interested and the player desires it, the probability of a transfer is high."

Encouragingly, this match against Arsenal could present another opportunity for Lee Kang-in. With Dembélé not fully fit, Lee Kang-in might seize the chance to play. Ultimately, with Lee Kang-in included in the starting lineup against Arsenal, the match may serve as another showcase. It will be interesting to see how Lee Kang-in performs with this opportunity.

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