Atletico Madrid sign South Korea star Lee Kang-In from PSG for reported €40m fee

Atletico Madrid has completed the signing of South Korean attacking midfielder Lee Kang-In from Paris Saint-Germain on a contract through June 2031, the club confirmed on Saturday. The deal makes the 25-year-old the first South Korean player in Atletico’s history and addresses the creative void left by Antoine Griezmann, who departed for Orlando City in MLS.

The transfer

Atletico Madrid reached an agreement with PSG for Lee, with the fee undisclosed officially but reported by multiple outlets in the range of €35 million to €40 million, excluding bonuses. A source close to the negotiations told AFP the sum was approximately €40 million. The transfer had been pursued for months, with Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany travelling to Paris in January to open talks. Lee’s desire to move to Madrid, which he had already expressed during an earlier approach in 2023 that PSG rejected, proved decisive.

Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain have reached an agreement for the transfer of Kang-In Lee, who signs with our club until 30 June 2031.

The player becomes Atletico’s third signing of the summer, following the arrivals of left-back Alejandro Grimaldo from Bayer Leverkusen and Danish midfielder Morten Hjulmand from Sporting.

Lee Kang-In’s career path

Born in Incheon, South Korea, Lee moved to Spain aged 10 to join Valencia’s academy. He made his senior debut for Valencia in October 2018 and went on to play 62 games for the club. A stint at Mallorca relaunched his career before a 2023 move to PSG. In three seasons in Paris he amassed 124 appearances, scoring 16 goals and providing 16 assists, and won two consecutive Champions League titles along with other domestic honours.

Replacing Griezmann

Griezmann’s exit to Orlando City left a large gap in Atletico’s attack. The Frenchman was the club’s all-time top scorer, and Lee will be asked to supply much of the creativity from midfield that the side lost. Atletico finished the previous La Liga season in fourth place and were runners-up in the Copa del Rey final. The arrivals of Grimaldo and Hjulmand, combined with Lee, signal a renewed push under Diego Simeone.

World Cup and international standing

Lee featured in all three group-stage matches for South Korea at the 2026 World Cup this summer. South Korea failed to advance, losing twice, but Lee’s performances drew attention. He now has 50 international caps and is regarded as the new star of the national team.

Why he left PSG

Despite his trophy haul in Paris, Lee struggled to hold a regular starting role under coach Luis Enrique. He played only 13 minutes in the Champions League quarter-finals and was unused in the semi-finals and final. The lack of involvement in the biggest matches accelerated his desire to leave, and PSG, while thanking him warmly for his contribution, did not stand in his way when Atletico returned with a concrete offer this summer.