Lee Kang-in: Profile, playing style, scouting report

The midfielder is the first-ever player from his country to sign for the French outfit.

Paris Saint-Germain are making large strides in the summer transfer window in the build-up to the 2023-24 football season. The Ligue 1 giants are flexing their financial muscle after the completion of Lee Kang-in’s transfer from RCD Mallorca. The 22-year-old joins the club on a five-year contract.

Interestingly, Lee Kang-in is the first player from South Korea to sign for Paris Saint-Germain. Becoming the first player from his country to sign for the Ligue 1 heavyweights is a sign of his potential and talent. He joins Marco Asensio, Milan Skriniar and Manuel Ugarte as new arrivals at PSG ahead of the new season.

It is safe to say that the fans of the Parisians are not quite familiar with Lee Kang-in who spent the last two seasons with Real Mallorca in Spain. Here is a look at what is the hype about and why PSG decided to splash €22.00m on the youngster:

Prior Experience

Lee Kang-in was part of the youth setup at Incheon United from 2009 to 2011 before moving to the developmental team of Valencia CF in Spain. He quickly moved up the ranks at the Spanish outfit due to his exceptional quality. The attacking midfielder played for Valencia U19, Valencia B and eventually the senior team. He was the first Asian player in the history of Valencia CF and the youngest non-Spanish player to debut for the side.

Post the completion of 10 years with Valencia CF, where the player moved up the ranks from the youth team to the senior team, he moved to Real Mallorca on 30 August 2021 on a free transfer. This is where the South Korean international enjoyed regular gametime and made a name for himself. He played 72 times for Mallorca, scoring seven goals and providing 10 assists. 

Lee Kang-in was a breakthrough star at the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup. He became the youngest South Korean at 18 years 6 months to feature in the UEFA Champions League when he played against Chelsea in 2019 for Valencia CF.

Type of Player

Lee Kang-in is an exciting attacking midfielder. The winner of the Golden Ball at the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup loves to take the No.10 position to influence the attacking gameplay. His pace also allows him to shift to a wider position and cause problems with his accurate deliveries into the box.

Lee Kang-in is versatile and thrives with the ball on his feet. His vision is an asset and can perform the role of a playmaker brilliantly. Paris Saint-Germain has an exciting prospect in their squad with the arrival of the South Korean international.  

What does he bring to the team?

Lee Kang-in brings a lot of utility to the Paris Saint-Germain squad. He can play as a playmaker in the midfield and take up the No.10 position with two pivots behind him. His creativity is a strong suit due to his years of development in Spanish footballing culture. 

Lee Kang-in is a brilliant technical player who can dribble out of tricky situations. He brings squad depth at PSG where winning multiple trophies is the minimum requirement. As the midfielder is only 22 years old, he has the potential to grow into a fabulous world-class player. 

Furthermore, being the first-ever player from South Korea to sign for the Parisians, his arrival will lead to PSG receiving exposure in Asia and an increased support base from the country.