Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are reportedly considering making a move to sign 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain utility man Lee Kang-in.
According to a report from The Sun, Arsenal are all set to reignite their interest in the services of Lee Kang-in. Mikel Arteta was interested in signing him during the winter transfer window, and he could once again look to add him to their squad once the transfer window reopens.
While things did not work out for Lee at Valencia, he certainly made quite a name for himself with his consistent performances for RCD Mallorca. His impressive rise had resulted in a lot of interest from across Europe, but PSG managed to win the race for his signature.
PSG forked out £18.7 million to add him to their squad. While Les Parisiens did bring him in with a lot of expectations, things have not gone according to plan for the South Korean international. He has only been a squad player for Luis Enrique’s team over the last two seasons.
Lee has only started 18 league games this season, the exact amount he did last season. While he has contributed towards 12 goals, the 24-year-old has only got 2,307 minutes of first-team action across competitions. He is clearly frustrated by his limited game time and, despite being under contract until 2028, the 36-cap South Korean international is prepared to leave the club.
Meanwhile, PSG also seem willing to sanction his departure as he is not an important part of Luis Enrique’s plans. But they want to recoup the amount they had invested to sign him, as a result, they won’t be listening to any offers below £17 million.
Arsenal could push for Lee’s signature
Arsenal, who showed interest in him back in January, could reignite their pursuit in the summer. Their new sporting director, Andrea Berta, is a massive admirer of the 24-year-old. Berta wanted to sign him during his time at Atletico Madrid but ended up losing the race to PSG.
With Lee now set to be available, Berta wants Arteta to make room in his squad for the South Korean star, who prefers playing on the right flank but can feature anywhere across the front line as well as in midfield.
He could prove to be a valuable addition to the Spanish manager’s team thanks to his versatility and his ability to impact the game in the final third. With the player set to be available for around £17 million, it could prove to be a bargain in the long run.
