Association Paid Him? Japan's Jealous Outburst Met with Point-by-Point Rebuttal by Spanish Media

Local Spanish media have stepped up to actively refute over-the-line suspicions raised by some Japanese fans regarding national football team player Lee Kang-in, who recently finalized his transfer to prestigious La Liga club Atletico Madrid.

Spain's Mundo Deportivo reported on the 28th, Korea time, that "quite a bit of disappointment has spread among Japanese fans after it was confirmed that Antoine Griezmann's successor would be South Korean player Lee Kang-in rather than their own country's Takefusa Kubo."

The outlet went on to dismiss the claims, stating, "Even groundless conspiracy theories have surfaced, but they are completely contrary to the facts."

Earlier, upon the confirmation of Lee's transfer, claims emerged in Japan suggesting that Atletico Madrid signed Lee due to financial assistance from Hyundai Motor, the club's official sponsor.

Mundo Deportivo drew a line, stating, "While Hyundai is likely to actively utilize Lee, who enjoys absolute popularity in South Korea, for various promotional activities, it was not the factor that decided his signing."

It also dismissed suspicions that the Korea Football Association covered part of the transfer fee, calling it "completely untrue."

The outlet emphasized, "Atletico Director Mateu Alemany has known Lee well since his days at Valencia, and he was the person who already pursued his signing during the winter transfer market, which is why he was brought in."

Previously on the 25th, Atletico Madrid announced Lee's official joining.

The contract runs until June 2031, and the transfer fee is known to be around 40 million euros including bonuses, which translates to approximately 66.8 billion won in Korean currency.

Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Lee Dain | Graphics by Yang Hyemin | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.