Lee Kang-in seeks playing time as PSG retains him amid Napoli interest

Will the transfer rumors of Lee Kang-in (24) from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Napoli just end as 'a story'? The atmosphere indicates that it has yet to lead to actual negotiations.

The Italian media outlet 'Tutto Napoli' reported on the 23rd (Korea time), "Lee is one of the players Napoli is keeping an eye on, but for now, it may remain merely a matter of interest."

Matteo Moretto of 'Relevo,' who appeared on Fabrizio Romano's YouTube broadcast, said, "PSG has no plans to sell Lee Kang-in in a hurry. The club still sees him as an important asset."

Lee Kang-in is contracted with PSG until 2028. From the club's perspective, there is no need to sell him in haste, as there is still enough time left on his contract.

However, Lee Kang-in needs a place to 'play' right away.

Lee Kang-in experienced winning the Ligue 1, French Cup, French Super Cup, and UEFA Champions League (UCL) as part of PSG in the 2024-2025 season, achieving a quadruple with the team. In the early part of the season, he played as a multi-resource, shifting between the flanks and the center, but as the season progressed, he often found himself on the substitutes' bench due to intensifying competition within the team.

Currently, he is staying in the U.S. with the PSG squad for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. He was also named on the substitutes' list in the group stage match against Seattle Sounders on the 24th at 4 a.m. U.S. time at Lumen Field, but he ultimately did not get a chance to play. In the previous two matches, he was substituted in the second half. In the first match, he scored a penalty goal during added time in the second half.

On that day, PSG defeated Seattle 2-0, advancing to the Round of 16 as the group leader. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring in the 35th minute, and Achraf Hakimi added another goal in the 66th minute.

In Group B, PSG, Botafogo, and Atletico Madrid all had 2 wins and 1 loss, resulting in a tie. PSG confirmed their Round of 16 spot as the group leader based on goal difference, followed by Botafogo in second place. Atletico Madrid won their final match against Botafogo 1-0 but was eliminated from the group stage due to inferior goal difference. Seattle finished at the bottom of the group with three losses.

The details regarding Lee Kang-in's future are expected to emerge after the Club World Cup concludes.

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