ATM-Mallorca talks break down…Lee Kang-in says multiple club offers, including EPL, ‘coming soon’
It looks like Lee Kang-In’s move to Atletico Madrid is off the table. Reports have emerged that talks between Atletico and Mallorca have broken down.
Lee has been touted as the next big name to hit the transfer market this summer. Last winter, a number of English Premier League (EPL) clubs, including Brighton and Aston Villa, as well as Spanish La Liga giants Atletico Madrid, were said to be interested in the player. As Lee has continued to perform well since then, there has been a lot of speculation in Spain about his next move.
It’s clear why Lee’s stock is soaring. Since his professional debut on the European stage, Lee has been criticized for his weaknesses in terms of slow initiative, defensive engagement, aggressive contesting, and physicality, but after his move to Mallorca last season, he improved his aggression and defensive engagement considerably.
This season he has improved even more. He ‘bulked up’ to erase his weaknesses in physicality and added muscle mass to match his body balance. As a result, my balance has improved considerably and I’ve been able to keep up with my opponents in speed races. His storming goal against Getafe was not for nothing, and Lee is expected to follow in the footsteps of his senior, Son Heung-min.
“There have been a lot of criticisms about Lee Kang-in, such as his lack of speed and his inability to join the defense, but he has dispelled all these concerns. There is no disagreement now. He has become the center of the team’s offense with his high-level pressing, accurate passing, and shooting ability.”
Mallorca have also benefited from Lee. After finishing 16th in the league last season, they’ve made a huge jump in the standings this season. They finished ninth in the league with 50 points and were on track to qualify for Europe by mid-to-late season. Lee played a big role in that, alongside Bedat Murki.
After his best season yet, clubs have been lining up to sign him. The transfer speculation has been going on since last winter, when Matteo Moretto of Spanish publication Relevo mentioned it. Atletico, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Brighton, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and Manchester United have all been mentioned.
The most active team was Atletico. They’ve been monitoring Moreto since he made his comments. According to several Spanish media outlets, Atletico had made several offers for Lee and were preparing a deal involving cash and players.
However, according to the latest reports, negotiations have reached a stalemate. According to Spanish outlet El Gol Digital, “Atletico’s negotiations with Lee have reached a stalemate. At this point, there is no guarantee that he will sign for Atletico. Atletico are reluctant to pay €20 million for the player. As a result, they are exploring other options.”안전놀이터
There were even reports that negotiations had broken down. ‘Relevo’ reported, “Lee is not going to Atletico. The talks with Mallorca have effectively broken down and the player will now decide his future outside of Spain. The two sides continued negotiations but failed to include Riquelme in the deal. The player has received offers from several European clubs, including Premier League clubs, and is close to completing a move. His future could be decided as soon as this week.”
Atletico are considering a ‘Plan B’. El Goal Digital reports that “Atletico are interested in Samuel Chukwueze. The negotiation process will not be easy as Villarreal will ask for a large sum of money.”
