The Premier League entry of Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain) is only a matter of time.
Premier League teams are racing to sign Lee Kang-in. The most active team among them is the FA Cup champion Crystal Palace.
"London World" reported on the 24th that "Crystal Palace has begun accelerating its efforts to sign PSG midfielder Lee Kang-in. The team, which won the FA Cup, plans to reinforce its squad by acquiring Lee Kang-in this summer. It is expected that Palace securing a spot in the UEFA Europa League for next season due to winning the FA Cup will work in their favor."
Crystal Palace is an attractive team for Lee Kang-in. It is based in the major city of London and has secured a spot in the UEFA Europa League. Unlike his limited playing time at Paris Saint-Germain, if Lee Kang-in joins Crystal Palace, his biggest advantage would be the opportunity to become a regular starter immediately.
Most importantly, manager Oliver Glasner of Crystal Palace personally wants Lee Kang-in. A starting position is guaranteed. Glasner noted, "Winning the FA Cup has made us a more attractive team. We have excellent players, but we will bring in more players during the summer transfer window," enticing Lee Kang-in.
The competing team for his transfer is Arsenal. Arsenal, also based in London, is a big club and is more attractive for Lee Kang-in, who desires to win trophies. However, if he joins Arsenal, Lee Kang-in will be competing for another starting position.
Since the middle of the season, Lee Kang-in's move to Arsenal has gained momentum. Reports emerged that manager Luis Enrique was uncomfortable with transfer rumors about Lee Kang-in starting with the Champions League semifinals against Arsenal. If he joins Arsenal, Lee Kang-in would become the second Korean player after Park Ji-sung.
ESPN reported that "Paris Saint-Germain forward Lee Kang-in is in consolidation with Arsenal. The 24-year-old reached the Champions League final, and his market value is €20 million (about 31.7 billion won)."
"The Sun" also reported on the transfer rumors of Lee Kang-in, stating, "Korean national team forward Lee Kang-in has not had enough playing time at PSG. Arsenal's new director, Andrea Bert, is a big fan of Lee Kang-in. During his time at Mallorca in 2023, he attempted to sign Lee Kang-in."
At PSG, Lee Kang-in contributed with 6 goals and 5 assists but could not celebrate. On the 18th, Paris Saint-Germain won 3-1 in the final match of the 2024-2025 Ligue 1 season against Auxerre at Parc des Princes in Paris. Having already secured the title early, PSG had an overwhelming season with 26 wins, 6 draws, and 2 losses.
After the final match, PSG players celebrated their victory together. Lee Kang-in also enjoyed the moment by lifting the championship trophy with his teammates. However, he did not play a single minute in the final. He waited on the bench but did not receive a call from manager Luis Enrique. Even after PSG had confirmed their championship, the opportunity did not come for Lee Kang-in.
The tactics pursued by manager Enrique do not align well with Lee Kang-in. Excluding him from the final essentially sent the message that he is not part of the plans. The fact that the Palace manager has personally reached out to Lee Kang-in is significant. It remains to be seen what choice Lee Kang-in will make after experiencing hardship with his playing time.
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