Lee Kang-in joins Valencia’s pre-season training

Lee Kang-in of Valencia CF, who was rumored to be making a move to other team, has joined the team’s pre-season training.

La Liga club Valencia CF wrote on its website on Tuesday that the team began its pre-season training for the 2020-21 campaign on Monday (local time) and the first team players who had been tested for COVID-19 will undergo a physical test this week. In a video released by Valencia, Lee Kang-in waved his hand at the camera and entered the training field, wearing a white t-shirt and a black face mask.

Lee failed to make the starting lineup last season and started only three times during the regular season. Local media reported that the 19-year-old South Korean footballer, whose contract expires in 2022, refused to renew his contract with the team and asked for a transfer. Against this backdrop, Ferran Torres, who recently moved to Manchester City (England) from Valencia, revealed that he and Lee Kang-in were viewed as outcasts by older Valencia teammates.

With Lee joining the team’s pre-season training, the possibility of him staying with Valencia has increased. It appears Valencia’s new head coach Javi Gracia’s words that he wanted to nurture Valencia’s young talent have played a factor in Lee’s decision. A Spanish daily newspaper reported that Lee will decide whether to renew his contract after watching what his role in the team will be under the new head coach.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com