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Atletico Madrid Sign Lee Kang-in for €35 M, First Korean

7/26/2026

Summary

Lee Kang-in Signs

Atletico Madrid signed Lee Kang-in on a contract until June 2031 for a reported €35 million fee plus a €5 million optional add-on.
Lee will wear number 7, becoming the first Korean in Atletico’s first team.
He departs Paris Saint-Germain after 124 matches, 16 goals, 16 assists and two Champions League titles, arriving with 50 caps, a 2019 U-20 World Cup Golden Ball and a 2022 Asian Games gold medal.

Summary

Lee Joins Atletico

Atletico Madrid sent doctor José María Villalón to South Korea to oversee Lee Kang-in’s medical exams at Dorim-dong Education Center.
Post-2026 World Cup, Lee trained three weeks at FC Seoul’s GS Champions Park and will join Atletico’s pre-season with friendlies versus Getafe (30 July), Manchester United (1 August) and Manchester City in Seoul (9 August).
Lee will start training with the squad the week after his medicals before the La Liga opener on 20 August.

History

Historical Context

Park Ji-sung’s July 2005 transfer from PSV Eindhoven to Manchester United for about £4 million made him the first Korean regular at a top-four English club and later the first Asian to win the UEFA Champions League. His role in South Korea’s 2002 World Cup fourth-place run spurred European clubs to scout Asian talent, a pattern now evident in recent La Liga signings.

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Lee Kang-in Signs

Atletico Madrid signed Lee Kang-in on a contract until June 2031 for a reported €35 million fee plus a €5 million optional add-on.
Lee will wear number 7, becoming the first Korean in Atletico’s first team.
He departs Paris Saint-Germain after 124 matches, 16 goals, 16 assists and two Champions League titles, arriving with 50 caps, a 2019 U-20 World Cup Golden Ball and a 2022 Asian Games gold medal.

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