Reports have emerged that an unnamed Premier League (PL) club has made a mega-bid for Lee Kang-in, and it’s looking increasingly likely that it could be Newcastle United, whose owners are Saudi Arabian oil money.
Newcastle have been linked with a move for Lee. However, the transfer fee is not €70 million, as reported by French media, but £40 million ($71.8 billion).
The news comes at the same time as reports suggest that PSG, who want Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, are planning to include Lee in their bid to sign him.
“In the past 24 hours, Newcastle have made an official enquiry to PSG about the 23-year-old striker,” said Newcastle’s new sporting director Paul Mitchell, according to Mekpai Media (a Newcastle nickname), ‘and the club’s new sporting director has identified Lee as his ’dream’ target in the transfer market.” “The 23-year-old South Korean left-back can play on both flanks and in central midfield. He has the ability to impress (Newcastle manager) Eddie Howe.”
The outlet added: “Newcastle believe a transfer fee of around £40 million will be enough to secure Lee. Lee will be looking for a permanent move away from PSG in order to become a first-team regular.”
Lee Kang-in suddenly became the subject of transfer rumors on the 16th.
French journalist José Casse, who works for France’s Foot Mercato, reported on Saturday that an unnamed PL club made a €70 million bid for Lee, but PSG rejected it, making it clear that they have no intention of selling him.
Kase also explained that the player himself was clear that he wanted to stay at the club. According to Kase, Lee is happy at PSG and has no intention of leaving the club.
The summer transfer window is in full swing, so this is just another transfer rumor.
Lee has been linked to a number of PL clubs before, even last season when he was playing for RCD Mallorca before joining PSG. Last summer, reports surfaced in Spain that Lee could move to either Manchester City or Aston Villa after his agent, Javier Garrido, posted photos on social media of Lee visiting the home stadiums of both clubs. Manchester United were also briefly mentioned as a possible destination for Lee.
However, the current situation of clubs that can afford to spend €70 million on a player leads us to believe that these rumors are just that, rumors.
It’s true that PL clubs have more money to spend in the transfer 파워볼게임 market than clubs in other European leagues due to the PL’s strong cash flow, but even in the PL, there aren’t many clubs that can realistically spend €70 million on a player.
However, the £40 million reportedly offered by Newcastle is more in line with what the top PL clubs can afford. Of course, it remains to be seen if PSG will accept this amount.
Newcastle are one of the big six PL clubs that have been linked with Lee in the past, and this summer they are at the center of the speculation again.
The midfielder was linked with a move to Napoli on Saturday.
On the same day, Italian transfer market expert Gianluca DiMarzio said, “PSG is the most interested in Osimhen. Osimhen’s agent was in the French capital on the 15th,” and said that PSG, who want to sign Osimhen, have a plan to include the player in their negotiations.
The news of PSG wanting Osimhen is not new. They are looking to fill the void left by Kylian Mbappe, who left the club at the end of last season when his contract expired. Replacing Mbappe, who was the club’s best striker, will not be easy, but PSG has identified Osimhen, who was a consistent scorer for Napoli, leading the Italian Serie A in scoring in the 2022-23 season, as a possible replacement.
What’s interesting to note is what comes next. Di Marzio explained that PSG could include one player in their offer for Osimhen and add cash on top.
Di Marzio mentioned three players in total, including Lee Kang-in. It has been suggested that the deal could include Lee’s close friend Carlos Soler, who played with Lee at Valencia, Montpellier, RB Leipzig defender Nordy Moukiele, who joined PSG in 2022 after playing for RB Leipzig, and Lee himself.
There is a reason why PSG want to include them in the deal. Napoli president De Laurentiis has reportedly placed a €130 million ($196 million) buyout clause on Osimhen, and even for a club with deep pockets, it’s risky for PSG to “cash in” on a player in his mid-20s for close to $200 million. It is believed that the club will try to include the player in the deal to lower the transfer fee.
Newcastle, Napoli, and PSG were all on the table for Lee, as well as a move to Newcastle. With all these moves, we wonder if Lee will find his fourth European club in a year.
