Liverpool, Leeds United, and Newcastle United are keen on signing 23-year-old South Korean international Lee Han-beom from Midtjylland this summer.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Liverpool, Leeds United, and Newcastle United are interested in Lee Han-beom. The three Premier League clubs are keen on reinforcing their defensive units by signing a centre-back in the upcoming transfer window, and they have set their sights on the 23-year-old Midtjylland defender.
Who is Lee Han-beom?
Lee Han-beom is among the latest promising prospects from his homeland to rise in prominence after leaving South Korea. Born in Daegu, the 23-year-old turned professional at FC Seoul before joining FC Midtjylland in August 2023. The South Korean international enjoyed his breakthrough in the 2025/26 season, making 50 appearances while chipping in with four goals and four assists.
Those performances have helped Lee become South Korea’s first-choice centre-back alongside Kim Min-jae, and he produced a colossal performance in his nation’s opening fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by keeping Patrik Schick quiet throughout. Those exploits and more have piqued the attention of several well-known clubs, including Liverpool, Leeds United, and Newcastle United.
A man in demand
Sebastiaan Bornauw’s struggles for game time have left Leeds needing centre-back reinforcement, especially with Daniel Farke’s resurgent 3-5-2 formation in the second half of the 2025/26 season. The Whites have set their sights on a top-class centre-back, bringing Lee into the picture.
Meanwhile, Liverpool’s interest in Lee Han-beom makes sense. The Reds have returned to the market for a centre-back after losing Ibrahima Konate, who will soon complete a Bosman move to Real Madrid. With Virgil van Dijk in the twilight of his career, Liverpool must overhaul the central defensive unit, with Lee an option worth considering.
As for Newcastle United, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn’s advancing age, coupled with Sven Botman’s persistent fitness struggles, has forced them to explore the centre-back market for potential targets in the summer transfer window.
The TEAMtalk report has revealed that scouts monitoring Lee “have been impressed not only by his defensive qualities but also by his composure in possession, physical presence and ability to adapt to different tactical systems”. However, Liverpool, Leeds United, and Newcastle United face stiff competition from Chelsea, Brighton & Hove Albion, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Napoli, Monaco, and Lyon for the South Korean defender’s signature, which bodes well for Midtjylland.
