According to French media reports, Tottenham Hotspur and Atlético Madrid have abandoned their pursuit of South Korean forward Lee Kang-in, as Paris Saint-Germain refused to let the player leave.
Spanish radio station Radio SER also released similar news: "Although Lee Kang-in did not rule out the possibility of a transfer in the January winter window earlier, the club has clearly refused to release him." This means that regardless of the player's personal wishes, Paris has made the final decision to keep him at the club.
In mid-January, Spanish media revealed that Atlético Madrid were interested in Lee Kang-in, and the club had been consistently interested in him during his time at Mallorca from the 2021-2023 season. It was reported that Atlético manager Diego Simeone had personally contacted the player's entourage back then. However, in the summer of 2023, Lee Kang-in ultimately chose to join Paris Saint-Germain, a club with a higher platform and better remuneration. Lee Kang-in's current contract runs until 2028, and his market value on Transfermarkt stands at €25 million.
In the 2023-2024 season, his first at Paris, Lee Kang-in got plenty of playing opportunities under manager Luis Enrique, being able to play as both a winger and a midfielder, fully demonstrating his versatility. But since January 2025, the competition for places in the squad has changed:
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Warren Zaïre-Emery have overtaken Lee Kang-in in the playing time hierarchy, leading to a sharp reduction in his minutes and multiple omissions from the matchday squad for key games.
British media disclosed that Tottenham Hotspur submitted a €50 million offer to Paris for Lee Kang-in, but even in the face of such a high bid, Paris Saint-Germain still chose to reject the sale and keep Lee Kang-in in the squad. The club's stance remained firm throughout this winter window, resolutely intent on retaining the player.
It is reported that despite Lee Kang-in's limited playing time this season, manager Luis Enrique still speaks highly of him, considering him a highly valuable rotational player in the squad. It is precisely due to Paris's tough stance that Atlético Madrid was the first to abandon the pursuit, and Tottenham Hotspur, which had hoped to sign Lee Kang-in on loan, had no choice but to accept the failure of their transfer attempt.
