Aston Villa sporting director Monchi will reportedly look to sign 24-year-old South Korean international Lee Kang-in from Paris Saint-Germain next year.

According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Lee Kang-in is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. The Villans are keen on reinforcing their offensive unit by signing a versatile playmaker next year. So, the 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain attacker has emerged as a target for the West Midlands outfit.

Monchi is the driving force behind Aston Villa’s move for the Asian attacker, with the Premier League club’s sporting director identifying him “as a strategic reinforcement for Unai Emery’s project” next year. Additionally, the Spanish transfer guru believes the PSG playmaker can “reach a higher level” under Emery’s guidance.

Lee Kang-in and his career with PSG so far

Lee Kang-in has established himself as one of the most underrated playmakers in Ligue 1 since joining Paris Saint-Germain from RCD Mallorca in July 2023. While the 24-year-old eased into the thick of things at Parc des Princes, he has become a top-notch performer for Les Parisiens.

The South Korean international has made nearly 100 appearances thus far for PSG while chipping in with 13 goals and 11 assists. Meanwhile, Lee’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several well-known clubs. Aston Villa will be among the prospective suitors vying for his signature next year.

Premier League adventure beckons?

Aston Villa’s interest in Lee Kang-in is understandable. The Villans are scouring the market for a versatile playmaker, even though they signed Harvey Elliott from Liverpool on deadline day of the summer transfer window. However, with Unai Emery preferring attackers who veer infield to allow the full-backs to provide width in the final third, signing a player like the PSG attacker will make sense.

Reports in the summer transfer window also linked Aston Villa with Lee, and Monchi is the driving force behind the West Midlands club’s move for the PSG playmaker. The 56-year-old views Lee as “a strategic reinforcement for Unai Emery’s project” next year, and he believes the PSG playmaker can “reach a higher level” under Emery’s guidance.

However, the interest is in the early stages, and it will be interesting to see if Monchi intensifies his efforts to take the 24-year-old South Korean international to Aston Villa in the next two transfer windows.