The future destination of Lee Kang-in (22, Mallorca) is again in doubt. The South Korean international, who declared his intention to move to a new challenge in the summer transfer window, was until recently linked with Atletico Madrid, but the situation has changed dramatically, with reports suggesting that talks have broken down completely in the last hours.
“Lee Kang-in will not move to AT Madrid unless things change drastically,” European soccer transfer market expert Matteo Moretto said on Wednesday (April 12), adding that “negotiations have virtually broken down in the last few hours.”
According to reports, Lee has already finalized personal negotiations, but separate talks between Mallorca and AT Madrid have reportedly broken down completely. In fact, the two sides have been in talks since April, but the situation has changed drastically in recent days, with a stalemate and even a “cold shoulder” between the two sides.
In particular, Mallorca raised their buyout clause in response to Lee’s recent performances, which AT Madrid balked at. The buyout, which was initially reported to be 17 million euros ($23.5 billion), was recently raised to 25 million euros ($34.5 billion) to 30 million euros ($41.5 billion), according to transfer experts.
AT Madrid tried to lower the fee to €15 million (approx. KRW205 million) in exchange for a deal in the form of a trade that would include Rodrigo Richelme (17). However, the deal ultimately fell through as Mallorca rejected the offer.
Lee is currently attracting interest from multiple clubs in the English Premier League (EPL) and other European leagues. As such, a decision on his next destination is expected within the next week. AT Madrid is 99.9% out of the question, according to Moreto.
In fact, since January, he has received offers from Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion, Aston Villa, and West Ham United. Recently, it was even speculated that Real Sociedad could trigger a buyout and sign him.스포츠토토
Lee joined Mallorca in the summer of 2021 and has been a revelation since, with his potential blossoming. He has made a huge impact with his flamboyant skills, sharp kicks, and creativity. In 39 appearances (35 starts) across all competitions, he scored six goals and provided seven assists. These are his personal ‘career highs’.
In particular, Lee has turned heads with his fluid dribbling and breakaway performances in every game. In fact, he has made his presence felt in the Spanish Primera Liga, ranking second in the league for most successful dribbles (90).
