Kang-In Lee, the best assistant

One of the few positive conclusions that Valencia could draw from their defeat in Elche was that Kang-In Lee is still plugged in. The footballer entered the 67th minute and as a result the team further improved its image on the green, culminating such growth with Lato's goal from Lee himself, valid to trim differences insufficient to achieve a point. The South Korean thus added his third course attendance, gave another air to the team and re-fueled the debate existing around his figure.

Why Kang-In Lee works but doesn't shine. The South Korean is the LaLiga's top assistant, has been played more than half the minutes who played last year in the domestic competition and away from the green is one of the most important assets of the club by image and sales in the Asian continent, in fact his t-shirt is the best-seller in online orders with great difference. And yet no one seems to be happy with a situation that in other times would be celebratory.

Valencia Shield / Flag

Kang-In to this day does not feel full confidence by his coach, who has left him on the bench in tres of the seven parties and in Balaídos he changed to rest. The truth is that Javi Gracia is far from treating Lee as a repudiated, because the playmaker adds more minutes than other promising youngsters like Pedri or Oscar RodríguezHowever, it is striking that the footballer has not had a greater role.

Because Lee is LaLiga's top assistant and he is despite being with Rodrygo the least played of the Top 10 attendees (He, Rodrygo, Alba, Correa, Coutnho, Cucho Hernández, Deyverson, Navas, Negredo and Benzema). But having an average of giving a goal pass every 82 minutes has not served him to earn the position of 'undisputed' in the team despite the fact that it has exhibited in the matches the need for a player of his abilities after the departure of eight footballers among those who were Parejo or Rodrigo, who used to agglutinate leather a lot and generate occasions.

Quarantine renewal

While his role in the team is not clear, there is an unappealable truth: his contract ends in 2022 and he is in no hurry to negotiate today. The footballer knew that this course there were many expectations deposited in him and although he has responded – his numbers are there – at the moment that does not seem to have been enough. That is why the idea of leave the Mestalla entity in the next transfer windows.

Nobody misses that Kang-In is the jewel in the crown of Meriton and Peter LimHowever, in recent months the directive intends to adopt a attitude clear to the market: whoever wants to go, let him go. For all this, a possible departure from Lee is not, to this day, a 'taboo' topic in the offices that who are aware that it is a possibility, however the priority remains to renew it at all costs. For now, next Sunday Getafe visits Mestalla and after his good minutes in Elche, not starting from the beginning would again be a blow for the footballer, but also for the club, which does not hide its desire to renew it.