'Official during the World Cup?' Lee Kang-in heads to Atletico, to be finalized this month... 'Transfer confirmed' on the countdown "Transfer fee 61.2 billion won"

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Kang-in (25, Paris Saint-Germain) is reported to be wearing the Atletico Madrid jersey by the end of this month.

Spain's 'Marca' reported on the 26th (Korean time) that "Atletico is on the verge of signing Lee Kang-in and Alex Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen)."

The media estimated the total transfer fee for the two players at 55 million euros (approximately 96.2 billion won). Lee Kang-in's transfer fee is 35 million euros (approximately 61.2 billion won) with additional specific options, while Grimaldo's transfer fee is 20 million euros (approximately 35 billion won).

Atletico has been evaluating Lee Kang-in as a perfect replacement for Griezmann, who left for Major League Soccer (MLS) in the U.S. last March, and has been pursuing his acquisition. Marca explained that "Atletico was compelled to pursue the acquisition of Lee Kang-in, a top-level player, to fill the massive void in their squad caused by Griezmann's departure."

Negotiations between the clubs are also proceeding smoothly. The Atletico leadership maintains a cordial relationship with PSG Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi. They also have a strong bond with Fernando Carro, CEO of Bayer Leverkusen, leading to rapid progress in the transfer negotiations for the two players.

Lee Kang-in is currently participating in the 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule. Marca highlighted that "Lee Kang-in is a key star for the South Korean national team, which lost to Mexico and South Africa in the group stage."

It was reported that Atletico's initial top acquisition targets were Bernardo Silva and Cucurella. The media stated, "Real Madrid entered the race for acquisition, derailing the plan. Consequently, Atletico Director Mateu Alemany immediately turned his attention to the 'Plan B' options of Lee Kang-in and Grimaldo."

It further added, "Coincidentally, the 55th million euros Real Madrid paid to acquire just Cucurella is equal to the total amount Atletico invested to acquire both Lee Kang-in and Grimaldo simultaneously."

According to the media, Atletico plans to finalize the acquisition of the two players before July 1, when the new season officially begins. Director Alemany is also pursuing additional reinforcement of central midfielders beyond the acquisition of Lee Kang-in and Grimaldo. At the same time, the club intends to release resources outside the squad to secure new acquisition funds.

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*This content was translated by AI.