Lee Kang-in of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) played a full match for the first time in about four months. He performed decently; however, local media rated him poorly.

PSG defeated Montpellier 4-1 in an away match for the 33rd round of the 2024-2025 Ligue 1 at Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier, France, on Nov. 11 (Korea time).

Having already secured early victory in the league, PSG granted rest to its key players.

With a major rotation in place, Lee Kang-in started for the first time in a while, completing a full match for the first time in 118 days since the match against Saint-Étienne last January.

He took the field as a left central midfielder in a 3-4-3 formation.

According to the European statistics site "Footmob," during the match, Lee Kang-in touched the ball 68 times in 90 minutes (excluding stoppage time), with 1 shot, a passing success rate of 93% (52 successful out of 56 attempts), created 1 chance, touched the opponent's box 3 times, made 3 passes in the attacking zone, performed 3 defensive actions, and had 1 interception, showing decent stats.

Additionally, he had 4 ball recoveries, a crossing success rate of 0% (0 successful out of 2 attempts), 0 clearances, and 0 dribbles completed, leaving some disappointing records.

"Footmob" gave Lee Kang-in the lowest score of 6.5 among PSG starters.

French sports media "90min" rated Lee Kang-in at 5, stating, "Lee Kang-in could have been substituted early like in the Strasbourg match. He didn’t create impressive moments. Nevertheless, his willingness to establish himself was clear." It continued, "While he had possession of the ball, there were no standout moments aside from lateral switches and back passes. The quality of set pieces was below expectations."

The star of the match was forward Gonçalo Ramos, who scored a hat trick, netting goals in the 4th, 14th, and 20th minutes.

PSG aims to achieve a treble this season, targeting Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the UEFA Champions League. They will wrap up the league after the final match against Auxerre on the 18th, followed by the Coupe de France final against Lens on the 25th, and the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan on the 1st of next month.

Meanwhile, Lee Kang-in is currently at the center of transfer rumors.

Italian sports media "Corriere dello Sport" reported on the 9th (Korea time) that "Serie A’s Napoli highly values Lee Kang-in’s versatility," noting, "A left-footed player, he can play not only as a central midfielder but also widely in side and attacking positions, fitting into manager Antonio Conte's tactical plans."

Lee Kang-in is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also be utilized as a second striker or winger depending on the situation. This tactical flexibility aligns with Napoli's plans, it is analyzed.

The clubs targeting Lee Kang-in are not just Napoli. The Premier League's Arsenal is also keeping an eye on him again. On the 9th, ESPN quoted "The Sun" that "Arsenal has attempted to reestablish contact with Lee Kang-in." Spanish media "Estadio Deportivo" even claimed, "Arteta's Arsenal has made an official proposal to PSG. Lee Kang-in's signing is imminent."

Arsenal's new director Andrea Berta has been someone who wanted Lee Kang-in since his time at Atlético Madrid. The transfer was thwarted when Lee Kang-in moved to PSG, but he is still highly regarded for his potential.

Lee Kang-in's recent social media activity also adds weight to the possibility of a transfer. He has removed PSG-related phrases from his Instagram profile. He has not posted anything related to his team for over two months.

Some fans interpret this as a sign of a transfer. However, there are counterarguments that it is difficult to ascertain definitively since other information such as nationality has also been removed.

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