Lee Han-beom Joins Club Brugge in €10.5M Transfer

South Korean defender arrives after Danish Cup heroics, 2023 Asian Games gold, and World Cup experience

[Sports Chosun Reporter Kim Ga-eul] National team defender Lee Han-beom has found a new home. He has left Midtjylland (Denmark) and joined Belgian powerhouse Club Brugge.

Club Brugge announced through its official channel on August 3 (Korean time): 'Lee Han-beom has signed a three-year contract until 2029. His squad number will be 3. At Midtjylland, he lifted the Danish Cup trophy with the winning goal in the 2025-2026 season final. He has played 16 matches for the South Korean national team. In 2023, he contributed to South Korea's gold medal at the Asian Games,' the club officially stated. According to Danish media 'Tipsbladet', Lee's transfer fee is 10.5 million euros (17.4 billion Korean won). This is seven times the 1.5 million euros transfer fee when he moved from K League 1's FC Seoul to Midtjylland.

Expectations are high. Belgian media 'HLN' introduced, 'Lee Han-beom had a very successful period at Midtjylland. Lee Han-beom is one of the players who received military service exemptions after winning a gold medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.'

Lee Han-beom was at the center of transfer rumors this summer. He attracted attention from across Europe, including the English Premier League (EPL), Italy, and France. Earlier, British media 'TeamTalk' reported, 'Interest in defender Lee Han-beom is growing across Europe. Liverpool, Leeds, Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Brighton (all England) are clubs that have been monitoring him in recent months. He is also attracting interest from Napoli (Italy) and Lyon (France) as well as the EPL.' Christian Bæk, Midtjylland's sports director, also told Danish media, 'Lee Han-beom has shown great performance in our team. Naturally, big clubs are interested. It is our responsibility to determine which club is suitable for the player and what transfer fee would be appropriate.'

Born in 2002, Lee Han-beom is an elite player who has represented South Korea at various age levels. He grew up at FC Seoul and transferred to Midtjylland during the 2023 summer transfer window. He barely played in his first two seasons at Midtjylland, appearing in only two matches. However, he seized his chance toward the end of the 2024-2025 season and did not let it slip. He became a key center-back for the team in the 2025-2026 season. In particular, he scored the header winner in the Danish Cup final against Copenhagen, leading the team to a 1-0 victory. He made 67 appearances and scored three goals in three seasons with Midtjylland.

Lee Han-beom, who has continued to grow, was named to the final squad for the 2026 North America World Cup. In the first Group A match against the Czech Republic, he tightly marked tall attackers. In the second match against Mexico, he successfully contained the 'main striker' Julián Quiñones (Al-Kadisiya). He started all three matches, including the final against South Africa.

Meanwhile, Club Brugge is the reigning Belgian league champion. It is a traditional powerhouse that has won the league title 20 times. It ranks second in the all-time standings behind Anderlecht (34 titles). South Korean players such as retired Seol Ki-hyeon, Hong Hyun-seok (Mainz), and Oh Hyeon-gyu (Beşiktaş) have used the Belgian league as a stepping stone to bigger stages.

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Orijinal haber: https://www.chosun.com/english/sports-en/2026/08/04/ZIGE2MIGN5DYPAK2674BCUJKVI/