The player marked by the club as early as a year ago. Will Lee Kang-in (24, Napoli) start a new challenge?

Italy's Corriere dello Sport reported on the 2nd (Korea time), "Napoli watched the players they wanted during the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final. In particular, Lee Kang-in, who was seated on the bench of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), will become the player fans dream of."

PSG defeated Inter Milan 5-0 in the UCL final for the 2024-2025 season held on the 1st at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. With this, PSG realized their dream by winning the big ear (UCL trophy) for the first time in 55 years since their establishment in 1970. Additionally, they completed a historic 'quadruple' by winning the French Ligue 1, Trophée des Champions, and Coupe de France, marking their best season.

It was a one-sided match. PSG took the lead with Achraf Hakimi's opening goal from a perfect assist by Désiré Doué just 12 minutes into the match. Furthermore, in the 20th minute of the first half, Doué's shot, received from a pass by Dembélé, deflected off a defender and led to a consolidation.

There was no turnaround in the second half either. Instead, PSG extended the score difference to five goals with consecutive goals from Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Séni Mayulu, defeating Inter. Lee Kang-in remained on the bench until the end, as the match ended with PSG's historic 5-0 victory.

However, Lee Kang-in was unable to participate. He was listed among the substitutes but remained on the bench. Manager Luis Enrique utilized all five substitution cards, but instead of Lee Kang-in, he opted for 2006-born prospect Mayulu. This repeated the scenario of Lee Kang-in being completely pushed out of the starting competition.

Nonetheless, Lee Kang-in was a proud member of PSG's championship team. Although he did not play much in this season's UCL tournament, he contributed by appearing in 11 matches, including the group stage. He also enjoyed the glory of victory with his teammates. After receiving his winner's medal from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, Lee Kang-in roared next to captain Marquinhos on the podium.

With this victory, Lee Kang-in became the second player in Korean football history to experience winning the UCL. This marks a continuation of the lineage that began when Park Ji-sung lifted the UCL trophy with Manchester United in the 2007-2008 season, 17 years ago. Although Son Heung-min led Tottenham to the final in the 2018-2019 season, they fell short against Liverpool and finished as runners-up.

Lee Kang-in moved to PSG last summer after leaving Mallorca and signed a long-term contract until 2028. However, in the latter part of the season, he became less secure in his position as he was pushed out of Luis Enrique's plans. Although he is recognized for his skills and game management ability, his role within PSG's tactics has been limited.

It is not so much a matter of Lee Kang-in's talent, but that the depth of PSG's golden roster is too thick. While Khvicha is impressive, Doué recorded two goals and one assist in the final, and both are evaluated as part of PSG's current and future prospects. Consequently, Lee Kang-in's chances of moving teams in the summer transfer market have significantly increased.

Currently, Lee Kang-in's market value is assessed at €30 million (46.9 billion won). PSG is reportedly planning to actively negotiate if transfer offers come in above this price range. At this point, several teams are reported to be interested in Lee Kang-in. It will be interesting to see where his next destination will be.

And Napoli, the most proactive team, has stepped up. Corriere dello Sport explained, "Napoli will take concrete steps to acquire Lee Kang-in. He is one of the players who will bring the essential 'strong and fast tempo' to Antonio Conte's football, making him a perfect fit."

Under manager Conte, Lee Kang-in is likely to leverage his various strengths. Napoli has already brought Kevin De Bruyne for manager Conte. For Lee Kang-in, being alongside the legendary player De Bruyne presents a natural opportunity to learn from his expertise and grow.

Moreover, Napoli is seriously considering Lee Kang-in as a key figure in their next plan. They have not simply been hastily seeking him out after being sidelined but have observed him for over a year, sending love calls after the appointment of manager Conte. This reveals Napoli's expectations for Lee Kang-in.

As proof of this, Corriere dello Sport noted, "Lee Kang-in was not able to become the central figure in manager Enrique's season project at PSG, and he did not play even one minute in the final. During PSG's treble season, Lee Kang-in appeared in only 45 of 58 matches, with a total playing time of 2397 out of 5220 minutes."

It was also mentioned, "Napoli wanted Lee Kang-in as part of the Khvicha trade throughout the summer and winter transfer markets, but at that time, PSG designated him as non-transferable." Additionally, "Now Lee Kang-in wants more opportunities. The transfer fee is a burden, but considering the relationship between PSG and Napoli, it could potentially decrease."

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