Lee Kang-in on the move: Atletico Madrid reach agreement

Atletico Madrid are set to complete another major move of the summer transfer window. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Spanish club and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed a fee of just over €40 million, including bonuses, for South Korean international Lee Kang-in. The player had already reached full agreement on personal terms with Atletico earlier, signing off on a five-year contract running to June 30, 2031, leaving only the club-to-club fee to be settled.

The 25-year-old joined PSG from Mallorca for around €20 million in 2023 and made 124 appearances under Luis Enrique across three seasons, contributing 16 goals and 16 assists. Never quite able to shake his tag as a rotation option, Kang-in featured in 39 games last season as PSG won back-to-back Champions League titles, yet failed to start a single match in Europe.

The move's significance for Atletico lies in filling the void left by Antoine Griezmann, who departed for MLS in March. Diego Simeone's coaching staff regard Kang-in's versatility, technical ability and prior La Liga experience as the ideal profile for the role. The player's own desire to return to Spain was reportedly one of the key factors accelerating the process.

With the finer points between the clubs now settled, a medical and official announcement are expected to follow shortly. The saga has gathered pace since South Korea's elimination in the World Cup group stage, and Kang-in's new chapter at Atletico looks set to be the happy ending to his long-awaited return to Spain.

Source: Fabrizio Romano

Image: Yahoo Sports