"The competition for Lee Kang-in's recruitment will heat up."

Matteo Moreto of Spain's Relevo reported on the 16th (Korean time) that "Spanish agent Javier Garrido watched many games in England this week. He met with several Premier League (PL) clubs, including Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Everton. We will have to see if this trip leads to discussions about the summer transfer market in the coming months."

Garrido is well-known as Lee Kang-in's agent. Moreto explained, "Garrido is responsible for Lee Kang-in and Abde Ezzalzouli (Real Betis), Harvey Guera (Valencia), Inaki Pena (Barcelona), and Jesus Fortea (Real Madrid)."

Moreto is considered one of the most authoritative journalists in Spain. He has covered Mallorca and has shown affection for Lee Kang-in several times. He garnered much attention in the 2022-2023 season for being the fastest to report on transfer rumors surrounding Lee Kang-in.

This is why many Korean fans are paying close attention to Garrido's recent trip to England. Among the players he manages, none are attracting more attention in Europe than Lee Kang-in. He is the most likely target for big PL clubs, including Manchester United.

In fact, Lee Kang-in was also linked to the PL during the last winter transfer market. At that time, several teams reported interest in Lee Kang-in, not just Arsenal and Manchester United, but also Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Nottingham Forest.

Relevo reported that "Arsenal really likes Lee Kang-in. There has been no official discussion yet. Nevertheless, Lee Kang-in fits the profile for Arsenal. Manchester United and Newcastle are also keeping an eye on his situation." The British 'The Athletic' also stated that Lee Kang-in is among Arsenal's recruitment candidates.

Several PL clubs have shown interest in Lee Kang-in.

Tutto Mercato reported that "Newcastle and Manchester United have sent scouts multiple times to observe Lee Kang-in. Both teams inquired about information and will attempt to recruit him in the coming days. Initial contact has already been made. The evaluation is about €40 million (60.4 billion won). The amount may change once negotiations begin."

There were also mentions of Tottenham, where Son Heung-min plays, and Nottingham, which is currently sitting in 3rd place in the PL.

On the Minute claimed, "Tottenham and Nottingham have joined the recruitment race for Lee Kang-in along with Manchester United and Newcastle. Lee Kang-in has lost his starting position, and there are reports that PSG may look to cash in on him. Tottenham and Nottingham are also showing interest in him."

As a result, Lee Kang-in remained with PSG instead of transferring. According to Le Equipe and The Athletic, PSG has received several inquiries about Lee Kang-in, but they hold him in high regard both on and off the field. At that time, Le Equipe stated, "PSG has received multiple inquiries regarding Lee Kang-in. However, for now, they have no intention of parting ways with Lee Kang-in, who has played 24 matches across all competitions and started 14 of them since August."

It is known that manager Luis Enrique has a favorable view of Lee Kang-in. He stated this season, "Since I arrived at PSG, Lee Kang-in has been on an upward trajectory. He has good stats. He can play various positions, including striker, winger, and false nine. I like Lee Kang-in. He has a great attitude, and his performance cannot be denied."

However, recently the atmosphere has changed. After Khvicha Kvaratskhelia joined, Lee Kang-in found himself sidelined. Ousmane Dembélé is performing exceptionally well and has been given the nod as the new striker, while Desiree Due and Bradley Barcola have earned the trust of manager Enrique.

Ultimately, Lee Kang-in has become a rotational resource, failing to secure a starting position as either a central midfielder or a winger. He completely missed the first leg against Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) round of 16 and was only brought in during extra time for the second leg. This indicates how much his standing has diminished.

There have been ongoing reports in France that PSG will sell Lee Kang-in this coming summer. French 'Foot 01' reported earlier this month that "Lee Kang-in and PSG are set to part ways! Lee Kang-in is likely to spend his last few weeks at PSG because the club has decided to part ways with him this summer."

It added, "Lee Kang-in has never been a guaranteed starter in the eyes of manager Enrique. Nevertheless, he has long served as a luxury joker, but he has been absent from the team in recent weeks. His appearances have diminished, and his playing time has become increasingly shorter," emphasizing that according to 'PSG Inside Actus,' there are no doubts about Lee Kang-in's potential departure this summer. The decision to sell him has reportedly already been made by the PSG board.

Lee Kang-in is already considered "a player who is almost certain to leave." Foot 01 stated, "After spending two years at PSG, Lee Kang-in has found himself in a situation where he must leave. Considering his contract runs until June 2028 and he earns about €7 million (10.9 billion won) annually, it is still uncertain whether he will pack his bags easily. While his salary is reasonable relative to the size of the PSG locker room, it will certainly be difficult to earn that much at a smaller club."

Furthermore, reports have emerged that Lee Kang-in's agent visited Manchester United, raising expectations that he may don a Manchester United jersey. Currently, Manchester United is restructuring the team under manager Ruben Amorim. Marcus Rashford has already left on loan to Aston Villa, and Alejandro Garnacho's future is also uncertain.

Give Me Sports noted, "Manchester United is somewhat lacking in attacking power, and the departure of Garnacho and Rashford is imminent. Old Trafford needs a new striker. Since Lee Kang-in has not been able to secure a starting position at PSG, he may be interested in moving to Manchester United. He could be the first signing under Amorim's leadership at United."

It also emphasized, "Currently, Manchester United may only have Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes as threats. Acquiring Lee Kang-in could be what they need in the final third. If finances permit, Manchester United will face fierce competition for Lee Kang-in, who still has suitors across Europe. The competition to acquire him will become even more heated in the coming weeks."

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