Lee Kang-in (left) battles South Africa's Tafel Maseko during a 2026 North and Central America World Cup Group A match at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday. [AP]
Lee Kang-in (left) battles South Africa's Tafel Maseko during a 2026 North and Central America World Cup Group A match at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, on Saturday. [AP]

Atletico Madrid has made Lee Kang-in its marquee signing of the summer transfer window, a move that signals more than a simple acquisition — it suggests the club intends to rebuild the entire creative axis of its attack around the 25-year-old.

The club announced Saturday via social media that it had signed Lee to a five-year contract running through June 30, 2031. The deal, finalized after negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain concluded, brings Lee back to La Liga for the first time in three years.

The signing addresses a clear gap in Atletico's squad. Antoine Griezmann, long the creative engine of the team's second line, departed for Orlando City this summer, leaving a significant hole in the attacking midfield. Lee, known for his precise passing and ability to orchestrate play, had been identified as the ideal candidate to fill that void.

Spanish outlet Marca and other local media report the transfer fee at 35 million euros, with an option for an additional 5 million euros, making the deal worth up to 67.1 billion won ($45.7 million) in total. That places Lee second on the all-time list of transfer fees paid for a Korean player, behind only Kim Min-jae's move from Napoli to Bayern Munich for 50 million euros, and ahead of Son Heung-min's 30 million euro transfer from Hamburg to Tottenham in 2015. The size of the investment reflects the tactical weight Atletico is placing on Lee's shoulders.

The central question is whether Lee can immediately claim a starting role in Atletico's competitive lineup. At PSG, he posted solid numbers over three seasons — 12 goals and 14 assists in 80 league appearances, and 16 goals and 16 assists across 124 official matches — while winning the league title every season and the UEFA Champions League twice. Yet with world-class stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele dominating the squad, Lee never fully secured a first-choice starting berth and was widely regarded as having been confined to a supporting role. Atletico's calculation is that by guaranteeing him regular playing time and a central tactical role, the club can unlock the potential he was never fully able to express at PSG.

Under manager Diego Simeone, Atletico have traditionally favored pragmatic, organized football. The addition of Lee, whose strengths lie in creativity and ball retention, could prompt a shift in how the team builds its attacks. Whether he steps directly into Griezmann's role as the link between midfield and attack, or is deployed in a new position, will be one of the key storylines to watch.

La Liga is far from unfamiliar territory for Lee. He joined Valencia's youth academy at age 10 in 2011, learning his football in Spain, and made his professional debut in 2018. He went on to spend two more seasons at Mallorca, recording 9 goals in 110 La Liga appearances before moving to PSG. Already fluent in Spanish and comfortable with the culture, his adaptation to his new surroundings is expected to be swift.

With this transfer, Lee becomes the first Korean player to represent Atletico Madrid's first team — a club considered one of Spain's three great institutions alongside FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. Having left behind a glittering but ultimately secondary role at PSG, all eyes are now on whether he can step into Griezmann's shoes and emerge as a true protagonist.


why37@heraldcorp.com