Napoli is entering into serious recruitment competition for Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain).
Italy's Corriere dello Sport reported on the 2nd (Korea time) that "Napoli observed the players they want during the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final. In particular, Lee Kang-in, sitting on the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) bench, is expected to become the player fans dream about."
PSG won the 2024-2025 UCL title, achieving their first victory after 55 years since their establishment in 1970, by defeating Inter Milan 5-0 in the final held at the Allianz Arena in Munich on July 1. Additionally, PSG accomplished a historic 'quadruple' after winning the Ligue 1, Trophée des Champions, and Coupe de France, making it their best season.
It was a one-sided match. PSG took the lead within 12 minutes of kick-off, with Achraf Hakimi scoring the opening goal from a perfect assist by Désiré Doué. Furthermore, in the 20th minute of the first half, Doué's shot, which was deflected off a defender after receiving a pass from Ousmane Dembélé, led to a consolidation goal.
There was no turning point in the second half either. On the contrary, PSG increased the score difference to five goals with consecutive goals from Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, and Senny Mayulu, bringing down Inter. Lee Kang-in remained on the bench until the end, but the match concluded with PSG's historic 5-0 victory.
However, Lee Kang-in did not participate. He was on the substitute list but remained on the bench. Coach Luis Enrique utilized all five substitution cards but opted for 2006-born prospect Mayulu instead of Lee Kang-in. This repeated scenario indicated that he had been completely edged out of the starting competition.
Nonetheless, Lee Kang-in was an integral part of PSG's victory. Although he did not play much in this season's UCL tournament, he contributed by participating in 11 matches, including the group stage. He also celebrated the glory of the championship with his teammates. After receiving a 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 a UCL championship. This continuation of the legacy occurred 17 years after Park Ji-sung won the UCL with Manchester United in the 2007-2008 season. Although Son Heung-min led Tottenham to the finals in the 2018-2019 season, he finished as a runner-up after losing to Liverpool.
Thus, Korea remains the only Asian country to have produced a UCL champion. If Mehdi Taremi's Inter had defeated PSG, Iran could have followed in Korea's footsteps, but fortunes diverged for Lee Kang-in. He became the second Korean player in history to wear a UCL champion medal and the first Asian player to experience a treble.
However, Lee Kang-in is not recognized as an official champion member by UEFA. This is because only players who directly participated in the final are acknowledged as champions. Korea was also omitted from the list of countries that produced champion players. Although Park Ji-sung similarly secured a UCL champion medal, he did not step onto the final stage. He had a remarkable performance in the 2007-2008 UCL tournament but was shockingly excluded from the final. Later, manager Alex Ferguson described the decision to exclude Park Ji-sung as the most regrettable decision of his life.
UEFA stated on their website, "Hakimi became the first Moroccan player to play in a UCL final in 2017 and the first Moroccan player to score in a European competition final. Willian Pacho is the first Ecuadorian player to participate in the winning team" and noted, "Lee Kang-in missed the opportunity to become the first Korean player to win a final without being substituted in at Munich."
Lee Kang-in transferred from Mallorca to PSG last summer and has a long-term contract until 2028. However, his position has become precarious as he has been pushed out of manager Luis Enrique's plans in the latter half of the season. Despite being recognized for his skill and game management abilities, his role within PSG's tactics has been limited.
It is less a matter of Lee Kang-in's talent and more about the depth of PSG's golden squad being too thick. While Khvicha is impressive, Doué, who recorded two goals and one assist in the final, is currently being regarded as PSG's present and future. Ultimately, Lee Kang-in has a very high possibility of changing teams in the upcoming summer transfer market.
Officially, Lee Kang-in's current market value is estimated at €30 million (46.9 billion won). It is reported that PSG plans to engage actively in negotiations if transfer offers exceed this price range. At this time, several teams have expressed interest in Lee Kang-in. Attention is now focused on where his next destination will be.
And the most proactive team, Napoli, has stepped forward. Corriere dello Sport explained, "Napoli will actively pursue the acquisition of Lee Kang-in. As one of the players who can bring 'strong and fast tempo' essential to Antonio Conte's style of football, Lee Kang-in is a perfect fit."
The publication highlighted that "Lee Kang-in was not able to become the core of Enrique's seasonal project at PSG, and he did not play even a single minute in the final. During PSG's treble season, Lee Kang-in participated in only 45 out of 58 matches, totaling just 2397 minutes of playing time out of 5220 minutes available."
Furthermore, "Napoli wanted Lee Kang-in as part of the Khvicha trade throughout the summer and winter transfer markets, but at that time PSG was designated as non-sellable." It was emphasized that "Now, Lee Kang-in wants more opportunities. While his market value is a burden, considering the relationship between PSG and Napoli, it could decrease further."
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