This is truly sincere.
French football reporter Romain Collet-Gaudin noted on the 3rd (Korean time) that "Napoli is still crazy about Lee Kang-in and wants to bring him in immediately," adding that "the transfer fee to PSG is a maximum of 30 million euros (approximately 45 billion won). Now, the decision rests with Napoli. The ball is now in Napoli's court."
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), led by coach Luis Enrique, is expected to avoid major changes under the policy of retaining key players even after winning the Champions League. However, Lee Kang-in, who is seeking a role beyond a joker, is gradually losing ground. Excluded from major matches under Enrique’s regime, he wants a solid starting position ahead of the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
In this situation, Crystal Palace is making an active love call. According to local reports, the London club led by John Textor expressed its desire to acquire Lee Kang-in for 30 million euros. The London coaching staff is said to be greatly impressed by Lee's versatility and creativity.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding participation due to the issue of multiple club ownership in the Europa League, Palace is solidifying plans for Lee Kang-in. They are persuading him with guarantees of ample playing time and a key role within the team. This is being interpreted as a commitment to making him a central figure in the future, not just a simple acquisition attempt. Of course, the competition is fierce, with major European clubs like Arsenal, Manchester United, Napoli, and Atletico Madrid also joining the race for Lee Kang-in.
Nevertheless, Palace is throwing down the gauntlet, armed with the point that "a spot for him is guaranteed with us." PSG is also firmly establishing its position not to hold onto Lee Kang-in. The possibility of his transfer, owing to the lack of playing time, is becoming more realistic, and it has now become a matter of which team will take action first.
Once again, Napoli's name is being mentioned. Napoli had originally made three transfer offers for Lee Kang-in over the past year, all of which were rejected by PSG. In fact, after PSG rejected them, alongside the acquisition of Noah Lang, Napoli has added names like Jadon Sancho (Manchester United), Daan Heymans (Bologna), and Federico Chiesa (Liverpool) to their list.
All these players are considered usable resources from the flanks, and it seemed that Napoli was quickly starting to restructure its attacking line under coach Antonio Conte. However, during this process, Lee Kang-in's name was ultimately not mentioned. Once regarded as a strong option, he appears to have been completely excluded from Napoli's priorities due to a lack of progress in negotiations.
Coach Conte recently succeeded in strengthening the midfield by signing Kevin De Bruyne on a free transfer, and is now fitting Lang into the second piece as he embarks on a full-scale squad rebuilding. Spanish transfer market insider Matteo Moretto explained, "PSG has no plans to rush Lee Kang-in's disposal. Inside the club, he is still evaluated as an important asset."
Moretto, who stirred great attention by being the first to report on Lee Kang-in since his Mallorca days, noted, "Lee Kang-in's transfer possibility is open, but currently, neither French nor Italian teams are his next destination," adding, "This transfer could continue until August."
However, once again, the situation has changed. Napoli has a unique evaluation of Lee Kang-in. After Napoli acquired resources like Kevin De Bruyne and Noah Lang, the speculation about Lee Kang-in's transfer had relatively quieted down. However, reliable sources from France said that Napoli is still showing interest in Lee Kang-in.
Napoli is still finalizing the acquisition of Lang and is pushing for additional signings like Daan Heymans. However, separate from these players, they are showing serious interest in Lee Kang-in. In fact, Napoli has consistently evaluated him as a player who can become part of the team's future over the past year.
Moreover, Lee Kang-in's situation remains uncertain. PSG may assign him a more important role and might want to give him greater opportunities to shine within the squad. However, given the circumstances displayed during the Club World Cup, this might not be easy. Ultimately, it can be interpreted that Lee Kang-in finds himself in a situation where he wants an environment where he can develop further.
If he transfers to Napoli, it could be a new challenge for Lee Kang-in and an opportunity to establish himself as an important member of Napoli. Lee Kang-in and PSG have yet to make any official comments regarding the transfer, and his future is likely to remain uncertain for the time being.
While there are love calls from several clubs like Palace and Manchester United, none are as sincere about Lee Kang-in as Napoli. Now, will Napoli attempt its fourth love call to Lee Kang-in and truly build a new dynasty in Serie A with him? Attention is drawn to what results Napoli, which has shown sincerity towards Korean players since Kim Min-jae, will achieve.
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