*This content was translated by AI.
The possibility of Lee Kang-in (25, Paris Saint-Germain) returning to Spain's La Liga is more concrete than ever. As Antoine Griezmann (35), the symbol of Atletico Madrid and the club's all-time leading scorer, confirmed his transfer to the U.S. Major League Soccer (MLS), Lee Kang-in's trip to Atletico has been accelerated.
Spanish media 'Pichahes' reported on the 25th (Korea time) that "Lee Kang-in is dissatisfied with the situation in which he has not established himself as a clear starting player at PSG under Luis Enrique," adding, "As a result, rumors of Lee Kang-in's transfer to Atletico are gaining strong strength."
In particular, the media said, "Lee Kang-in has gone through Valencia and Mallorca in the past and fully understands the characteristics of the Spanish league. This is a decisive factor for Atletico, which needs immediate power reinforcement immediately after Griezmann's departure, he analyzed.
In fact, Atletico ace Griezmann's departure was confirmed through an official announcement. Orlando City of MLS announced on its official website on the 24th that it has recruited Griezmann, a world-class soccer icon and winner of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
According to the club, Griezmann signed a contract with Orlando from July 2026 to the 2027-2028 season and reportedly included a one-year extension option. In other words, the era of legend, who scored 211 goals in 792 games in Atletico alone, is over.
As Griezmann's transfer is confirmed, Atletico's operation to recruit Lee Kang-in is expected to be more urgent. "Pichahes" also expressed expectations, saying, "Lee Kang-in is the best card to maintain the team's offense with fantastic teamwork with Julian Alvarez."
Already, rumors of Lee Kang-in's transfer to Atletico are not a day or two. According to reports in Spain, Lee's transfer fee is expected to range from a minimum of 30 million euros (about 44.5 billion won) to a maximum of 50 million euros (about 74.3 billion won)
In particular, Atletico's leaders are reportedly fascinated by Lee Kang-in's talent. The Atletico recruitment department, led by general manager Matteu Alemani, has already been working hard for a long time enough to try to recruit Lee Kang-in in the winter transfer market in January.
This season, Lee Kang-in caught the attention of big clubs by showing his overwhelming skills in the European match. In particular, in the match against FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) in October, he hit the post with a sharp shot 10 minutes after the second half substitution, showing the power to change the flow of the game. In addition, he has proved his class at every decisive moment, scoring a fantastic wonder goal against Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Super Cup in August to lead his team to a come-from-behind victory.
For now, Griezmann will be in charge of Atletico's remaining schedule until the UCL quarter-finals Barcelona and the Copa del Rey final, before joining Orlando in mid-July when the MLS transfer market opens.
In response, "Pichahes" added, "Atletico is expected to conclude negotiations with Lee Kang-in as soon as possible before other European big clubs enter the recruitment race."
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*This content was translated by AI.
