Lee Kang-In shows flashes of talent, starts full-time against Leipzig

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) shone once again.

Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) played to a 1-1 draw against Leipzig (GER) in their 2024-2025 pre-season friendly at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, on Nov. 11 (ET). PSG conceded an early goal in the 13th minute through Loic Offenda. However, Gonzalo Hamus equalized in the 25th minute to level the score. It was another draw for PSG, following a 2-2 friendly draw with Sturmgraz (Austria) on August 8th.

Lee lined up in a 4-3-3 formation with Warren Zaire Emery and Vitinha in the middle. He started as a right winger, but later moved between the center and left. Lee made his presence felt as a full-time substitute. According to post-match stats from Sofascore, Lee had one shot on target, one dribble, and a 93% pass success rate (38/41). The organization gave Lee a 7.0 rating, the highest of any starter.

Lee’s best performance came in the first friendly of the preseason on August 8, when he played as a defensive midfielder in the middle of the field. He has played in offensive positions such as zero-top and sagging striker, but defensive midfield is a very unfamiliar position for him. Lee’s play has been very stable, but his defense has been a bit of a question mark. Now, he’s completely erased that shortcoming.

He attempted 47 passes, completing 45 of them. He also completed two dribbles and had an 83% success rate on long passes. After the game, statistician Sofascore gave Lee a rating of 7.6, the highest on the team. Footmob gave him a 7.5, the highest on the team.

He’s excited for the new season. Lee joined PSG in the summer of 2023 from Real Mallorca (Spain), where he dominated the Spanish scene in the 2022-2023 season. In 36 Spanish Primera Liga games (33 starts), he played 2,840 minutes, scoring six goals and providing six assists. Lee was the center of attention around the world at the time. In his first season with PSG, Lee made a strong impression on the French stage. He won three titles in Ligue 1, the Coupe de France (French Cup), and the Trophée des Champions (French Super Cup). In the Super Cup, he scored the winning goal and was named the tournament’s MVP. Lee finished the 2023-2024 season with three goals and four assists in the league, one goal and one assist in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), and one goal in the Super Cup. In all competitions, he recorded double-digit offensive points with five goals and five assists.

Meanwhile, Lee has been receiving offers from around the world lately. Last month, McPhail Media reported that English Premier League (EPL) side 파워볼사이트 추천 Newcastle had sent an official inquiry to PSG for the player. Newly appointed director of football Paul Mitchell has identified Lee as a dream target for this transfer window. The left-footed player can play on the left or right flank as well as in central midfield. He is a left-footed player who can play in the center of the field as well as central midfield,” the report said. Newcastle have reportedly prepared a £40 million transfer fee to sign Lee. ‘Newcastle believe a transfer fee of around £40 million would be enough to land Lee,’ the outlet said. Lee is also keen to leave PSG to play first-team football,” the source added.

But that’s not all, as the player is also reportedly interested in Napoli (Italy). French publication Foot Mercato reported that ‘PSG want to sign Victor Osimhen. They are also considering a trade. Carlos Soler, Nordy Moukiele, and Lee Kang-in are among the players they have offered as trade cards. The only player Napoli are interested in is Lee Kang-in.

The situation was compounded by Lee’s delay in joining PSG’s pre-season squad. Lee took matters into his own hands, posting photos of his vacation training on his personal social networking site. He wrote “SOON” alongside a photo of his tight physique. Lee joined PSG as ‘announced’. However, the interest in the player didn’t stop there.

On the 9th (KST), French media FootMercato reported, “The Saudi Arabian League is preparing a huge offer for Lee Kang-in and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). PSG has entered a new era. Now they want to focus on the team. They hope that Lee will do better this season. However, Lee”s name has appeared in the transfer market. The Saudi Arabian League is also interested. One club wants to make him the highest-paid player in the league. PSG have Lee under contract until June 2028. We’ll have to wait and see what PSG and Lee do,” the report said.

Currently, the highest-paid player in the Saudi Arabian league is Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nasr). He joined Al Nasr in January 2023. He signed a contract worth €200 million per year. Neymar (Al Hilal) reportedly earns around €100 million a year.

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