Fabrizio Romano reports that Atletico Madrid have advanced talks to sign Kang-in Lee (25) from Paris Saint-Germain, with the South Korean international emerging as a genuine priority target for Los Colchoneros in the summer window. The development marks a significant shift in a pursuit that had repeatedly stalled, most recently in January when PSG shut down any prospect of a mid-season exit.
The move fits squarely within Atletico’s broader midfield rebuild this summer. As previously covered on Football Espana, director Mateu Alemany has been targeting multiple midfield profiles, with Lee now joining a shortlist that reflects the club’s sustained effort to address a creativity deficit in central areas.
Kang-in Lee’s profile and what he offers Atletico Madrid
Lee joined PSG from Mallorca in the summer of 2023 and has spent three seasons in the French capital, where his role has been consistently debated. Technically gifted and capable of operating as an advanced eight or a ten, he offers a combination of pressing intensity, set-piece quality, and the ability to play through tight spaces – attributes Simeone has struggled to replace since the departures of João Félix and the gradual decline of Koke as a creative force.
The problem at PSG has been minutes. A crowded and expensive attacking midfield has limited Lee’s consistent involvement, and both French and Korean outlets have noted that he is understood to be open to a return to La Liga, where his profile and prior experience in the Spanish game would be better leveraged. His time at Mallorca before the PSG move gave him a solid foundation in the league’s rhythms, which reduces the adaptation risk Atletico would ordinarily carry with a signing from Ligue 1.
Fee structure and where negotiations stand
The financial picture remains the central complication. Reports from Spanish and French outlets have placed Atletico’s initial thinking in the range of €25m, with figures closer to €35–40m cited at the upper end depending on the source. PSG’s leverage is real: Lee is 25, still ascending, and the club explored a contract extension as recently as the winter window to deter suitors and protect his valuation.
PSG’s position has softened from the outright rejection of January, when Spanish outlet Pichiches and journalist Santi Aouna reported that Paris told Atletico there would be “no negotiations, neither now nor in the short term.” That the two clubs are now in advanced talks suggests either a shift in PSG’s squad planning or an improved Atletico proposal – possibly both. The gap between the clubs’ valuations, however, has not been reported as closed, and that remains the live obstacle.
What this means for Atletico Madrid’s summer
Los Colchoneros are running multiple midfield negotiations simultaneously, a sign of how seriously Alemany is treating the positional need. As previously covered on Football Espana, Atletico have also opened talks with Manchester City over a midfielder, while negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over Alejandro Grimaldo are running in parallel. The Lee pursuit is not a fallback option – Romano’s advanced-talks framing places it firmly in the primary tier of their recruitment planning.
Where Lee slots in is also worth noting. He is not a like-for-like replacement for any single departure but rather a net addition of creative quality in the half-spaces – the kind of player who would give Simeone a more dynamic option between the lines than the club has reliably had since their peak Félix period. Whether Atletico can fund all of their midfield targets simultaneously, given the salary cap constraints they continue to manage, is a separate question that the club has not yet answered publicly.
What next for Kang-in Lee and Atletico Madrid?
The next meaningful development will be whether Atletico can table a formal offer that bridges the gap to PSG’s valuation and force a clear yes-or-no from Paris, and whether Luis Enrique – whose personal veto killed the January move – remains in a position to block the deal again or whether the club’s hierarchy overrules him in the face of a substantial fee.
