Valencia is being criticized again over Lee Kang-in's move to Atletico... The coach called him 'the best' just two days into training, yet the club let him go for free.

*This content was translated by AI.

South Korea national team 'ace' Lee Kang-in (25) has moved to Atletico Madrid, reigniting fierce criticism of Valencia's past decision.

On the 26th (Korean time), Spanish outlet AS published an article titled "The gift Valencia gave Mallorca in Lee Kang-in: The fallout continues," re-examining Lee Kang-in's departure from Valencia.

The outlet recalled that "Lee Kang-in, now a new player for Atletico, left Mestalla (Valencia's home stadium) as a free agent in 2021 to free up one quota spot for non-EU players."

Atletico officially announced the signing of Lee Kang-in via its social media on the 25th. The contract runs until June 2031. According to local Spanish reports, the transfer fee includes a base of €35 million (approximately 58 billion won) plus additional options.

Lee Kang-in was assigned the number 7 jersey, symbolizing the team's ace. He also received one of the non-EU player quota spots, underscoring how highly Atletico values him as a key asset.

This marks Lee Kang-in's return to Spain after three years. Having developed through Valencia's youth system and made his professional debut there, he moved to Mallorca in La Liga in 2021. In 2023, he joined French powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). At PSG, Lee Kang-in won numerous trophies, including the league title and UEFA Champions League (UCL), before moving to Atletico this summer and rejoining La Liga.

In this process, Valencia's past decision once again came under scrutiny. When letting Lee Kang-in go, Valencia received not a single euro in transfer fees.

AS stated that "Valencia's decision to release Lee Kang-in has become an increasingly difficult-to-explain choice as time passes," adding, "This was not a move made based solely on performance."

At the time, Valencia needed to free up one non-EU player quota spot to register Brazilian striker Marcus Andre. At that moment, Maxi Gómez, Gabriel Paulista, and Lee Kang-in occupied those spots.

The outlet reported that "Lee Kang-in had one year remaining on his contract but showed no interest in renewing," and concluded that "Valencia ultimately terminated his contract to resolve player registration issues and ensure smooth operations in the transfer market."

Mallorca seized this opportunity. They signed Lee Kang-in without paying any transfer fee and provided him with ample playing time. Lee Kang-in grew into a key player for Mallorca. Just two years later, he moved to a top club, PSG, while Mallorca secured transfer fee revenue from the deal.

In contrast, Valencia's decision to release Lee Kang-in for free has been increasingly viewed as a major blunder over time. Testimony from Jose Bordalas, who coached Valencia at the time, further fueled criticism of the club.

Although Bordalas highly praised Lee Kang-in's abilities, he claimed the club had already decided to release him before his arrival. AS noted that "Bordalas, currently managing Getafe, told a story completely different from what Valencia has consistently claimed," adding that "he never requested Lee Kang-in's release and was instead greatly surprised by the club's decision."

Bordalas recalled: "When I arrived, the club told me Lee Kang-in was already slated to leave. He had trained with us for only two days, yet I told my coaching staff that 'Lee Kang-in is the best player on the team.'"

He continued, "It made no sense to let go of a player like him," and insisted, "I had no decision-making authority regarding Lee Kang-in's departure."

The outlet pointed out that "these remarks directly contradict Valencia's previous explanations," noting that "Valencia has consistently claimed that Bordalas did not consider Lee Kang-in an important part of his tactical plan."

Time has since proven Bordalas's early recognition of Lee Kang-in's potential correct. Lee Kang-in has grown into a top-tier player in Europe's elite leagues. AS evaluated that "Lee Kang-in secured the consistent playing time he sought at Mallorca," and added, "He fully unleashed his potential in La Liga, becoming one of the league's most influential players."

During his two seasons at Mallorca, Lee Kang-in made 74 official appearances, scoring seven goals and providing ten assists. At PSG, he played in 124 official matches, netting 16 goals and recording 16 assists, gaining experience and a trophy-laden record on Europe's top stage.

Now at Atletico, Lee Kang-in has inherited the number 7 jersey previously worn by club legend Antoine Griezmann. AS introduced him as a key figure in the new project led by coach Diego Simeone.

Thanks to Lee Kang-in's move to Atletico, Valencia will receive €1.4 million (approximately 2.3 billion won) in training compensation and solidarity payments. Mallorca will also receive €600,000 (approximately 1 billion won).

Yet Valencia raised Lee Kang-in from the age of 10 and once set his buyout clause at €80 million (approximately 134 billion won). Despite this, they released him for a transfer fee of zero euros. The €1.4 million currently received is merely pocket change compared to Lee Kang-in's true value.

AS criticized the situation: "A player expected to lead Valencia's future left the team for free simply to make room for another player," and added, "Even looking back now, it remains an inexplicable decision."

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*This content was translated by AI.