Lee Kang-in ready to give '120 percent' ahead of Atletico Madrid debut in Seoul

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Yonhap) -- Atletico Madrid's new South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in said Saturday he is so driven to help his Spanish club win that he will give his "120 percent" for them.

The national team midfielder is set to make his Atleti debut in a preseason match against Manchester City at 8 p.m. Sunday at Seoul World Cup Stadium.

Lee signed for Atleti in late July after three seasons with the French giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). However, Lee was not able to join Atletico Madrid immediately due to administrative issues and missed their preseason match in Sweden last Saturday.

Lee, who has been training in the training facility for the K League 1 club FC Seoul over the past several days, said at his prematch press conference that he could hardly wait to take the field for Atleti.

"I have always been a player who wants to win and I joined this team to win," Lee said at Mokdong Stadium in western Seoul. "Players exist to help their team win. I will give my 120 percent to help us win."

Lee spent his teen years in Spain, working his way up from the youth academy at Valencia and making his senior La Liga debut at age 17 in early 2019. Lee stayed with Valencia until August 2021 and went on to play for another La Liga club, RCD Mallorca, from 2021 to 2023, before joining PSG.

Asked what made him decide to switch clubs this summer, Lee said, "Simply put, it is Atletico Madrid."

"I have been watching this team for a long time and I have known all along how big of a club they are," Lee added. "And I am really happy to have a chance to play for this team. The head coach (Diego Simeone) and the management made me feel they really wanted me. They compete for trophies every year and I feel like I can continue to grow as a player and lift more trophies with this club."

Atletico Madrid finished fourth in La Liga and lost to Real Sociedad on penalties in the Copa del Rey final. They also reached the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League.

Lee has inherited the iconic No. 7, formerly worn by Atleti legend Antoine Griezmann, who now plays in Major League Soccer. The number is typically given to a club's star attacking midfielder or right winger and it has come to represent the player's flair and creativity.

The South Korean star, though, insisted he is not putting too much stock into the number on his back.

"I know the number means so much because so many legends of the club have worn it before me," Lee said. "But I am only thinking about how I can best help the team and how I can keep improving as a player. Doing my best each and every day to help the club is the most important thing for me. I am not thinking about anything else."

Lee added he was also excited about meeting Atleti supporters in Spain, describing them as "the best fans in the world."

"I will try to show them I am the kind of player that helps the team and brings joy to fans," Lee said.

Also at the presser, Simeone said he has already been impressed with Lee's work ethic in training sessions and his job as head coach is to help the player accomplish his goal of continuous growth.

The Argentine tactician also said he appreciated Lee's generosity, with the South Korean star having treated the entire squad to dinner Friday night.

"The first impression is really important when we start a relationship, and I think Lee Kang-in really showed the type of person that he is from the get-go," Simeone said. "He has already shown us how humble he is and how ready he is to play for us. He is an extremely hard-working player and I can tell you he is just the type of player we need at Atletico Madrid."

Simeone declined to get into specifics on how he will use Lee in the upcoming season position-wise.

"When a new player joins a team, we have to figure out ways to bring out the best in him," Simone said. "Our focus will be on maximizing his individual skills."

The Atleti-Man City match will close out this year's Coupang Play Series, organized annually by the namesake streaming service with popular European clubs playing preseason matches in South Korea. Atletico Madrid and Man City also faced each other for the 2023 Coupang Play Series, with the Spanish side prevailing 2-1 then.

Simeone recalled seeing more Man City shirts in the stands three years ago but said he is looking forward seeing more support for his side this time, especially with Lee's presence.

"I expect to see more Atletico Madrid shirts tomorrow. And those will be our true fans," Simeone said with a smile.