‘Looking for the second KIM’ Napoli, aiming for a Korean player again…”Popular star Lee Kang-in snapped up”

[OSEN=고성환 기자] Napoli are looking for the ‘second Kim Min-jae (27)’. This time, he is aiming for ‘Golden Boy’ Lee Kang-in (22, Mallorca).

Italy’s ‘Calcio Mercato’ reported on the 11th (Korea time) that Lee Kang-in is on the recruiting list, saying, “Napoli is observing the Asian market.”

Napoli hit the jackpot with the recruitment of Kim Min-jae this season. As soon as he joined the team, he developed into one of the best defenders in Europe and is performing at the best level in Serie A. It is hard to believe that he is a player who was recruited for only 18 million euro (about 26.2 billion won).

Napoli won the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years. This is the third Scudetto in his career following the 1986-1987 and 1989-1990 seasons when Diego Maradona played. The movement of the UEFA Champions League to the quarter-finals, achieved with Kim Min-jae, is also the first record in the history of the club.

Napoli, who have benefited greatly from Kim Min-jae, are developing an interest in the Asian market. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis hinted publicly after the match against Fiorentina, saying, “We are looking for players from Japan, Korea and the United States.”

According to Calcio Mercato, the Korean player Napoli caught was Lee Kang-in. The media said, “Naples scouts are ready to bring another Korean player to Italy after Kim Min-jae. It is Lee Kang-in, a popular star born in 2001.”

The media added, “Lee Kang-in is an attacking winger who is doing well in Mallorca. Napoli does not stop with this victory and is looking to Asia to become stronger.”

Lee Kang-in is receiving a lot of love calls while playing as the Mallorca ace this season. He scored 6 goals and 4 assists in the league alone and was nominated for the La Liga Team of the season. A transfer this summer is only a matter of time.

Napoli has many rivals. Atletico Madrid, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Burnley are already targeting him. In particular, Atlético, a strong player in La Liga, want him strongly as they tried to sign Lee Kang-in last winter. Lee Kang-in’s ransom is expected to rise further as he jumps into Napoli.

Meanwhile, Napoli are not only keeping an eye on Lee Kang-in, but also the Japanese national team midfielder Gamada Daichi (Frankfurt). Already a month ago, the Frankfurt side announced that Gamada would leave the team on a free contract in June. Calcio Mercato explained: “Napoli is negotiating with Gamada with confidence. Negotiations between the two sides are moving quickly.”

/finekosh@osen.co.kr

[저작권자 @머니투데이, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]