New Atletico Madrid midfielder Lee Kang-in ready to give '120 percent' to help team

Seoul, August 8 - Atletico Madrid's new South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in has revealed he is determined to give his all to help his Spanish club succeed. The national team player is due to make his debut for Atleti in a preseason match against Manchester City at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday evening. Lee joined Atleti in July after a three-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

However, due to administrative issues, he was unable to begin playing with the team immediately and missed their preseason game in Sweden last Saturday. Speaking at a prematch press conference, Lee expressed his enthusiasm for playing for Atletico Madrid, stating, "I have always been a player who wants to win, and I joined this team to win."

He emphasized that his sole focus will be on giving his "120 percent" to help the team achieve success. Before signing with Atleti, Lee spent time in the Spanish youth academy at Valencia, making his La Liga debut at age 17 in 2019. He subsequently played for another La Liga club, RCD Mallorca, from 2021 to 2023, before joining PSG.

When asked about his decision to switch clubs this summer, Lee simply replied, "It is Atletico Madrid." He expressed his delight at the opportunity to play for the club, praising the head coach Diego Simeone and the management for making him feel valued and excited about the possibility of continued growth and trophy wins with the team.

Lee inherited the iconic No. 7 shirt, previously worn by Atleti legend Antoine Griezmann, who now plays in Major League Soccer. While acknowledging the significance of the number, Lee remains focused on helping the team and improving as a player each day. He also expressed excitement about meeting Atleti supporters in Spain, describing them as "the best fans in the world."

Atletico Madrid finished fourth in La Liga and lost the Copa del Rey final on penalties, reaching the Champions League semifinals. Lee will wear the number in his first match for the club, a preseason game against Manchester City.