'Korea's All-Time Great' Lee Kang-in's Impact on Atletico Move 'As Much As' This... From Neymar and Mbappé to 'Top Legend' Sharaut

*This content was translated by AI.

According to local reports, Lee Kang-in's transfer fee is 35 million euros (approximately 58.3 billion won), with an additional option of 5 million euros (approximately 8.4 billion won). With this move, Lee Kang-in returns to the Spanish stage for the first time in three years.

As news of Lee Kang-in's signing at Atletico spread, a wave of affectionate messages from former and current teammates and top superstars followed on his personal social networking service (SNS) and the club's channel.

Alex Baena (Atletico), a Spanish national team winger who will play alongside Lee Kang-in at Atletico, tagged Lee Kang-in's account and sent a welcoming message saying, "I am ready to play together." Baena is the Spanish winger who scored the winning goal in Spain's group stage match against Uruguay at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City), the former owner of the No. 7 jersey and considered Atletico's all-time greatest legend, also cheered for Lee Kang-in, who has become a junior teammate at his former club, with red and white heart emojis.

Affectionate greetings from former teammates who shared the field together at PSG also followed. Neymar (Santos) left a heart on Lee Kang-in's personal SNS post, and world-class stars such as Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid) and Joao Neves (PSG) offered their congratulations with likes and heart reactions. The PSG official channel also left a farewell message: "We thank you for your dedication and wish you well in your future career."

Meanwhile, as he departed from PSG, Lee Kang-in expressed his gratitude to fans and the club through a lengthy farewell post written in French.

Lee Kang-in wrote, "The day I arrived in Paris with big dreams is still vivid. As I wrap up my journey in Paris, the first word that comes to mind is gratitude." He added, "I am grateful to the club, staff, and teammates who believed in me."

He continued, "The support of the fans who filled Parc des Princes will always remain in my heart. The moment we won two consecutive UEFA Champions League (UCL) titles and lifted countless trophies was the greatest glory of my career." He added, "Paris has been a place that helped me grow not just as a footballer but as a human being. I am leaving with pride and precious memories in my heart."

Notably, Lee Kang-in was assigned the No. 7 jersey, the club's traditional ace number. Recently transferred to Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States, legend Griezmann also played wearing the No. 7. Other iconic numbers from this prestigious club have been worn by era-defining masters such as Uruguay legend Diego Forlan and Juninho Paulista, a member of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup winning squad. While there have been cases like Joao Felix (Al-Nassr) who faced a tragic history with the number, Lee Kang-in is confidently adding his name to the No. 7 legacy, drawing great expectations.

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*This content was translated by AI.