PSG "The First Korean Player to Sign with Our Team"
Standing Shoulder to Shoulder with Global Stars Like Mbappe and Neymar
Lee Kang-in (22), known as the ‘Shootdori’ and regarded as the future of Korean football, has left Spain's La Liga club Mallorca and donned the jersey of the prestigious French Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
On the 9th (Korean time), PSG officially announced on the club’s website, “We are pleased to share the joyful news that we have signed a contract with Lee Kang-in until 2028.”
They added, “Lee Kang-in, a 22-year-old attacking midfielder, is the first Korean player to sign with Paris Saint-Germain.”
Although Lee Kang-in’s transfer fee was not disclosed, it is estimated to be 22 million euros (approximately 31.1 billion KRW). Additionally, when he moved to Mallorca as a free agent, a clause was included that entitled him to 20% of any future transfer fee, reportedly earning him 4.4 million euros (about 6.2 billion KRW) this time.
Since making his first-team debut for Valencia CF in October 2018, Lee Kang-in spent five seasons in La Liga (three seasons with Valencia and two with Mallorca) before moving to the French league. His official record in Spain stands at 135 matches and 10 goals (62 matches and 3 goals for Valencia; 73 matches and 7 goals for Mallorca).
Founded in 1970, PSG is indisputably the top club in France, having won 45 trophies domestically, including 11 Ligue 1 titles.
Especially since being acquired in 2011 by Qatar Sports Investments, owned by the Qatari royal family, PSG has secured the league title nine times up to last season. Currently, world-class players such as Neymar (Brazil), Kylian Mbapp? (France), and Fabi?n Ruiz (Spain) play for the club.
Lee Kang-in joined Valencia’s youth academy in July 2011 at the age of 10. He then joined Valencia B team in December 2017, playing 26 official matches (4 goals) over two seasons, and made his first-team debut in the Copa del Rey at 17 years and 327 days old in October 2018, setting the record as the youngest Korean footballer to debut in the first team.
On January 12, 2019, he made his La Liga debut against Real Valladolid, and on January 30, he officially joined Valencia’s first team, wearing the number 16 jersey.
Lee Kang-in then represented Korea in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he gained worldwide attention with outstanding performances. He led Korea to the runner-up position with 2 goals and 4 assists and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Seeking more playing time, Lee Kang-in left Valencia as a free agent in August 2021 and signed a four-year contract with Mallorca. He also represented Korea in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, contributing to Korea’s advancement to the round of 16.
Now joining PSG, Lee Kang-in is expected to fill the spot left by Lionel Messi (Argentina), who recently left France and is about to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami in the United States.
With PSG preparing for the next season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL), Lee Kang-in will have the opportunity to play in the UCL for the first time in four years since his 2019-20 season with Valencia. Furthermore, PSG’s recent appointment of Spanish coach Luis Enrique is expected to be advantageous for Lee Kang-in, who is proficient in Spanish.
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