It has even been called the ‘deal of the century’. As such, the value of Lee Kang-in (22, Mallorca) has risen sharply, and everyone knows that he can give Mallorca a historic amount as a transfer fee. That’s why there is a reaction that Mallorca’s attitude, which made Lee Kang-in angry, feels more repugnant.
Spain’s Estadio Deportivo said on the 19th (Korean time), “There is a team that wants a deal of the century through the release clause (buyout) of Lee Kang-in,” and “It is almost impossible to keep Lee Kang-in.”
Previously, the Spanish Mallorca media Cope Mallorca said, “Mallorca will send it if there is a team that will pay 18 million euros (26.2 billion won) to recruit Lee Kang-in.” Unlike Mallorca’s previous explanation, Lee Kang-in’s buyout amount was neither 30 million euros (43.7 billion won) nor 25 million euros (36.4 billion won).
According to Coffe Mallorca, in the transfer market last winter, AT Madrid reportedly offered 10 million euros (14.5 billion won) for Lee Kang-in, but Mallorca rejected it. Lee Kang-in expressed dissatisfaction with Mallorca, which showed a lukewarm attitude over his transfer. He also expressed his uncomfortable feelings while unfollowing the club’s official SNS.
Afterwards, Mallorca coach Javier Aguirre’s remarks were a problem. He said, “If there is a team that pays 30 million euros, I can send it to you. It is a clause in the contract,” but according to Cope Mallorca, this amount was far more than the actual buyout amount.
A buyout is when a transfer fee is set high to protect a competitive player. It is the same as the Maginot Line, ‘you can hand over the player if you receive at least this amount’. The club paying the buyout amount can negotiate directly with the안전놀이터 player. The authority of the current club will disappear.
Due to Aguirre’s remark that the buyout amount is 30 million euros, some clubs may have stopped paying attention to Lee Kang-in. But for 18 million euros, it’s a completely different story. Many teams have already shown interest in Lee Kang-in, and the English Premier League (EPL) teams, which boast enormous finances from broadcasting rights, seem to be able to invest enough to bring him.
As a result, there are even reports that EPL Aston Villa, led by manager Unai Emery, will pay Lee Kang-in’s buyout amount to take him.
Even if it is 18 million euros instead of 30 million euros, it is a large enough amount to be called the ‘deal of the century’ in Mallorca. In the history of Mallorca, which is not large in size, the biggest transfer fee income was Samuel Eto’o’s 27 million euros (39.3 billion won), which left for Barcelona in the 2004-2005 season. After that, while leaving for Deportivo in the 2000-2001 season, Diego Trisman recorded 17.75 million euros (25.8 billion won).
Even Mallorca brought Lee Kang-in, who was released as a free agent (FA) from Valencia in August 2021, without a transfer fee. He can sit back and earn 26.2 billion won.
It is understandable that he does not want to let go of Lee Kang-in. Lee Kang-in’s transfer is also expected to be related to the future of manager Aguirre. Spain’s El Goal Digital said on the same day, “(Due to the situation where Kang-in Lee’s transfer is likely), there are doubts about the renewal of the contract with coach Aguirre and Mallorca.”
However, Lee Kang-in has expressed his intention to transfer and has grown into a player who can bring a large sum of money to the club history by recruiting him for free and using it well as a key player. You can’t help but feel betrayed by Mallorca’s attitude of lying in front of him and breaking his will.