In fact, even if he leaves Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), it is not the end. Rather, the probability of more opportunities arising is high.

Spain's 'Sport' reported on the 15th (Korea time) that "PSG is unlikely to make significant changes to the squad, given the good performance they have shown this season," and noted that "instead of aggressively pursuing player acquisitions, PSG is expected to secure a budget by selling off some surplus resources. There are four likely candidates."

Lee Kang-in has actually seen his standing at PSG diminish rapidly. He had a decent start this season, recording 6 goals and 6 assists, but the situation changed drastically in 2025. He has been benched not only in the league but has also stayed on the bench for the last four consecutive matches since the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, and he was excluded from the roster for both the first and second legs of the semifinals.

In league matches, he mostly comes on as a substitute in the second half. There are analyses suggesting he may have deviated from the plans of head coach Luis Enrique. As transfer rumors have been continuously coming out, Lee Kang-in recently deleted the 'PSG' phrase from his Instagram account and has not posted any club-related posts for about two months, indicating a higher possibility of transfer.

Of course, it's hard to say definitively since he also deleted other introductory items like 'South Korea', but it is undeniable that there are signs of change. ESPN reported on the 8th that “PSG forward Lee Kang-in is being linked with Arsenal. The 24-year-old Lee reached the Champions League final. His market value is €20 million (about 31.7 billion won).”

'The Sun' also reported on the transfer rumors surrounding Lee Kang-in, stating, “The Korea national team forward Lee Kang-in is not getting enough playing time at PSG. Arsenal's new director, Andrea Bert, is a big fan of Lee. He attempted to sign Lee when he was playing for Mallorca during his time at Atletico Madrid in 2023.”

PSG will face Inter Milan in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League final, which will be held at 4 a.m. (Korean time) on June 1 at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. PSG, who has already secured the Ligue 1 title, is set to embark on their quest for European conquest.

PSG won the first leg of the semifinals against Arsenal 1-0. Lee Kang-in was on the substitute list but did not get a chance to play. He is effectively classified as outside the team's plans. The same happened in the second leg, where PSG beat Arsenal 2-1 at home. PSG took an early lead of 2-0 and made three substitutions in the second half, but Lee Kang-in was not called upon by head coach Luis Enrique.

On the 8th, the British 'Football Express' reported, “Arsenal is trying to sign PSG's Lee Kang-in this summer. Arsenal has already contacted Lee's side. Lee is a very talented player, but he has not been given enough playing time because he is overshadowed by other players at PSG. Arsenal has decided to pursue Lee for acquisition.”

This outlet also noted, “Arsenal targeted Lee Kang-in last January during the transfer window. If a suitable offer comes from PSG, they plan to let Lee go. PSG brought Lee from Mallorca for £18.7 million (about 34.7 billion won). PSG would let Lee go for at least around £17 million (about 31.6 billion won). The likelihood of Lee transferring is very high.”

Additionally, PSG is preparing to make significant player acquisitions during the summer transfer window. However, this time, instead of making excessive investments in transfer fees, they plan to sell existing players and utilize those resources to acquire new players. Naturally, from PSG's perspective, the players that are mentioned on the sale list are being discussed before the acquisition list.

Who are the players mentioned by Sport as targets for sale? The outlet analyzed that "PSG has four players considered outside the team's plans: Milan Skriniar (Fenerbahce SK), Lee Kang-in, Randall Kolomouni (Juventus), and Marco Asensio (Aston Villa)," stating that "these players have no place at PSG."

Aside from Lee Kang-in, the other players are already on loan to other teams. In fact, Lee Kang-in also had interest from other league teams in the winter transfer window, but he chose to remain. As a result, due to the situation at PSG, which needs to give places to young talents and several players next season, it is highly likely that Lee Kang-in will also be on the release list.

Moreover, besides Skriniar, all the other players are already playing for top European clubs. In fact, if Lee Kang-in also comes onto the market for loan or transfer, he could be sought after by several big clubs. Notably, Lee Kang-in was linked with big English Premier League (PL) clubs like Newcastle and Arsenal during the winter transfer window.

Even if he is sidelined at PSG due to team circumstances, considering the potential he has shown at this point, there is definitely a chance that other big clubs could be targeting him. While the transfer rumors with Arsenal and Newcastle have temporarily quieted down, if a concrete sale of Lee Kang-in emerges, several teams are likely to rush in. It remains to be seen whether Lee Kang-in can showcase a good performance and embark on a new challenge.

[Photo] PSG social media.

[OSEN]