Lee Kang-in has reportedly agreed to join Atletico Madrid.
Atletico have been interested in Lee since last winter. After a strong start to the season, a number of teams were reportedly interested in Lee during the winter transfer window, including a number of English Premier League (EPL) clubs. The news of Atletico’s desire for Lee was met with enthusiasm from fans in South Korea, where the club is one of the most prestigious in La Liga, alongside Real Madrid and Barcelona.
During the winter transfer window, Lee failed to leave the club. This was because Mallorca and coach Javier Aguirre were adamant that they couldn’t afford to lose their ace in the middle of the season. Instead, from that point on, local speculation was rife that Lee would leave Mallorca at the end of the season. In addition to Atletico, EPL clubs such as Aston Villa and Newcastle United have also been linked with a move for Lee.
Lee Kang-in’s transfer to Atletico had a twist. Towards the end of the season, reports surfaced that Atletico would not be signing him, citing financial difficulties. With the amount of Lee’s buyout unclear, the idea was that instead of paying his buyout, Atletico would bring in Rodrigo Riquelme, a youngster who had done well for Girona FC this season.
That quickly changed. Atletico moved quickly when they heard that Newcastle had made an approach for Lee, and they even made a formal offer to Mallorca. This reignited the speculation of a move to Atletico.
It was also reported that Atletico and Lee had reached a personal agreement. Tomeu Maura, an insider journalist in Mallorca, told Spanish outlet Football Desde Mallorca: “The negotiations between Mallorca and Atletico for Lee Kang-jin continue to progress. The only official offer for him at the moment is from Atletico. As far as I know, the two clubs have already reached an agreement. Otherwise, what the two clubs are doing now is pointless,” he said, adding that the personal agreement is done and the negotiations between the clubs are ongoing 먹튀검증.
Negotiations are unlikely to move quickly. “I don’t think there will be news this week unless it’s dramatic,” Moura added.