In fact, I could have passed the pass to a teammate next to me and ran without the ball. However, Lee Kang-in (22, Real Mallorca) showed off his ability to ‘hit and run’ and dribble to his heart’s content. Getafe defender Dakonam Gene (32, Togo), who was chasing Lee Kang-in from behind, sprinted without a ball, but could not stop Lee Kang-in from driving the ball. At this moment, it was Lee Kang-in who boasted the ability to ‘chidal’ as fast as Son Heung-min (31, Tottenham).
Lee Kang-in played a multi-goal performance in a home game against Getafe in the 30th round of the Spanish Primera Liga in the 2022-2023 season held at Visit Mallorca Estadi in Mallorca, Spain on the 24th (Korean time). Lee Kang-in’s performance led the team to a 3-1 victory.
On this day, Lee Kang-in started as a left attacking midfielder and scored an equalizer and a key goal. It was the moment he scored his first multi-goal after making his professional debut as a member of Valencia in the 2018-2019 season. He also became the first Korean player to score multiple goals in the Primera Liga.
Lee Kang-in scored an equalizer in the 11th minute of the second half when the team was trailing 0-1. He deftly avoided the offside line and penetrated to the right of the penalty box. Then, when a teammate’s shot hit the opponent’s goalkeeper, he neatly connected it with a rebound shot and shook the opponent’s net.
Lee Kang-in’s fantastic ‘chidal’ came during extra time in the second half, a time when all players would be exhausted. After catching the ball below the half line, he performed a solo dribble about 65m. A situation where two colleagues ran together and had a numerical advantage of 3:1. However, Lee Kang-in did not try his special skill, passing. Rather, he continued to drive the ball and sprint.
Even in the finishing scene, he succeeded in a powerful left-footed finishing shot without giving a pass to a teammate next to him. If he failed to score, he could have faced criticism for not giving the ball to an empty teammate. However, after dribbling and sneaking a peek at the goalkeeper, Lee Kang-in finished with a strong shot. 메이저사이트
Lee Kang-in is recording 5 goals and 4 assists in all competitions this season. He has been evaluated as a player with better passing and dribbling skills than his speed and shooting ability. However, in this scoring scene, we were able to confirm not only the speed but also the final goal decision. Moreover, the scoring period was in extra time in the second half. It means that there is no problem with his physical strength.
Praise is pouring in. The Mallorca club praised Lee Kang-in through social media by attaching the modifiers “designer of victory” and “king”. Lee Kang-in was also honored with the Best Player of the La Liga selection (MOM) and the Best 11 of the La Liga selection week.
With this performance, the expectation that it can work in the EPL has been proven. As the summer transfer market approaches, interest in Lee Kang-in is getting hotter. Love calls from the EPL are expected to flood in. On the 23rd, British media Inside Football quoted Spanish media Relevo and reported, “Aston Villa, Burnley, Newcastle and Wolverhampton are showing the most interest in Korea’s national midfielder Lee Kang-in.”
The media explained, “Lee Kang-in is currently playing for Real Mallorca in Spain’s Primera Liga. However, his agent is seeking a transfer for Lee Kang-in this summer.” “Attack midfielder Lee Kang-in has received interest from several EPL clubs. England could be his future destination,” he added.
According to the Spanish media Coffe Mallorca, Lee Kang-in’s buyout (minimum amount allowed for transfer) is known to be 18 million euros (26.2 billion won). This is an amount that an EPL club with ample funds can recruit Lee Kang-in if they set their mind to it.
As the days go by, Lee Kang-in is showing improvement in every game. The Primera Liga ends the 2022-23 season with the final match on June 5. Fabrizio Romano, who has high public confidence in the European transfer market, said, “Lee Kang-in is expected to leave Mallorca this summer. EPL clubs are watching him. There is a possibility that the transfer will be completed next month (May).” Which team uniform will Lee Kang-in wear?