This is what happens when you move to a big club.
When Lee Kang-in, the center of the latest transfer rumors, didn’t show up for training, it led to speculation that he was indeed leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). However, it turns out that Lee’s absence was simply due to the fact that he’s scheduled to return to training next Monday.
Jamel, who is familiar with PSG’s internal news, wrote on his social media account on Sunday (July 17), “Lee Kang-in was originally scheduled to return to training today, but he did not participate in the morning session. We will have to check the timetable for his return to training again.”
The reasons for an athlete to miss training include injury and poor physical condition. If Lee isn’t feeling well, it’s entirely possible that he’s not training. However, the news of Lee’s absence from training, coupled with the latest transfer rumors, sparked a lot of interest among fans. Some fans wondered if Lee was really preparing for a move.
Lee Kang-in has been linked to two teams recently. Newcastle United, a Premier League (PL) club, and Napoli of the Italian Serie A, the former club of his national teammate Kim Min-jae.
Napoli was the first team mentioned. Italian transfer market expert Gianluca DiMarzio first reported on Lee Kang-in’s move to Napoli on June 16.
At the time, DiMarzio identified Napoli’s main man Victor Osimhen as the player who would replace Kylian Mbappe in the frontline striker role, and reported that Lee could be included in the deal as a way to get Osimhen. Lee has been named as a bargaining chip for PSG, along with PSG teammates Carlos Soler and Nordy Moukiele.
Di Marzio went on to explain that Napoli are also keen on Lee. The news of Napoli wanting Lee Kang-in was a big deal in itself, as the South Korean star has been a popular player in the league, winning the title.
Then, it was claimed that Newcastle also wanted Lee Kang-in. Newcastle’s new sporting director, Paul Mitchell, is said to be keen on the South Korean international and has already identified him as his “dream signing” for the summer transfer 안전놀이터 window, according to McPhail Media.
In this situation, the news of Lee’s absence from PSG’s training was noteworthy. If the player was planning to leave PSG in the summer transfer window, it could have been expected that he would have skipped training to negotiate a transfer.
However, this was due to the lack of information on the timing of Lee’s return.
Benjamin Quares, who writes for Le Parisien in France, responded to a fan’s question on social media the same day, saying, “There is nothing strange. Lee’s return date is scheduled for next Monday.”
Lee was simply resting before the start of the preseason. The news of Lee’s absence from training, which coincided with the transfer speculation, was just a blip on the radar.
Regardless of this incident, it seems unlikely that Lee will leave PSG. He’s now in his first season at the club and is happy with his life there.
José Casse of France’s Foot Mercato covered the transfer speculation, explaining that Lee is happy at PSG and has no intention of leaving. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Lee will continue to compete for a starting role under Luis Enrique next season.