Napoli's interest in Lee Kang-in seems sincere.
Italy's Corriere dello Sport revealed on the 26th (Korea time) who Napoli wants to recruit in this summer's transfer market, focusing on general manager Giovanni Manna.
The media explained that even if Kevin De Bruyne's dream is still making headlines, there are certainly players with good profiles who are not very glamorous but have long been in Napoli's interest and that Napoli have been steadily targeting the recruitment target. Among them, Lee Kang-in's name appeared.
Corriere dello Sport added 'Another interesting name is Lee Kang-in, a Korean player from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). "Since Khvicha Kvaratshelia joined and Desiree Doue exploded, he has hardly had a chance to play, and has played only a few short games or less important games,' he said, explaining that Napoli are seeking to recruit Lee Kang-in.
Napoli has already played for Lee Kang-in several times. Napoli began to be actively interested in recruiting Asian players, including Korean players, as it hit a huge jackpot after recruiting Kim Min-jae in the 2022-2023 season. In the summer of 2023, Napoli wanted Lee Kang-in, who began to make a name for himself in Mallorca, but the transfer did not happen as PSG moved much faster than Napoli.
Napoli also wanted Lee Kang-in in the summer of 2024. At the time, PSG tried to recruit Victor Osimhen, who was about to leave Napoli. When the transfer fee for Osimhen, which Napoli wanted, was too high, PSG tried to sign a transfer fee and a player. At this time, Napoli demanded PSG to release Lee Kang-in. As PSG refused at once, the negotiations fell through.
If Napoli tries to recruit Lee Kang-in again this time, it will already be its third attempt. Corriere dello Sport said 'Lee Kang-in has all the skills, vision, and shots. He can play as a winger, an attacking midfielder, or even a central midfielder. He wants a change of circumstances. PSG's relationship with Napoli is very good, which could be advantageous for negotiations' and analyzed that Napoli's interest is likely to lead to Lee Kang-in's recruitment this time.
However, Naples is not the only team targeting Lee Kang-in. In particular, it is understood that Italian clubs are currently actively interested in recruiting Lee Kang-in.
Reporter Ekrem Konur, who works in various media including Kurt Offside in the UK, said on his personal SNS on the 25th that `AC Milan, Juventus, and Napoli are watching the situation of Lee Kang-in of the Korean national team. PSG set about 40 million to 50 million euros (about 622-77.8 billion won) as a transfer fee for Lee Kang-in, who is attracting attention from clubs in the English Premier League (EPL), Italian Serie A, and German Bundesliga" he said.
If reporter Connor's information is true, the key to Lee Kang-in's transfer to Naples is expected to be the transfer fee. Napoli has invested more than 40 million euros to recruit players only twice in the club's history. Only Osimhen and Irving Rosano were recruited at a high price, while other players were recruited at a relatively low transfer fee. Napoli's finances are not very affordable to pay the price PSG wants.
If Lee Kang-in is recruited as a complete core level, the story may be different, but Napoli's current recruitment is The Bruyne. If The Bruyne, one of the best midfielders of the 21st century, comes, Lee Kang-in's recruitment will inevitably be a subordinate. It is unclear whether he will invest a lot of money in recruiting subordinates.
In fact, it is not easy for EPL clubs to pay more than 40 million euros. In the transfer market last winter, EPL big clubs were paying keen attention to Lee Kang-in. In particular, Arsenal were known to be one of the clubs that actually sought to sign, and reports followed that Manchester United and Newcastle United were also closely monitoring his situation.
Although it is unclear whether the three clubs are still interested in Lee Kang-in at the moment, there is one thing that is clear. Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle are all financially capable of paying 40 million euros, the transfer fee set by PSG. Rumors of Lee Kang-in's transfer are highly likely to become hotter in the future.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
