Barcelona Transfer News: Lee Seung-woo Set for Increased Buyout Clause

The transfer rumour mill is in full flow at Barcelona after the club saw its transfer ban lifted this month, and South Korean starlet Lee Seung-woo is set to see his release clause quadruple following a promotion in the team's ranks.  

Lee is once again free to sign for the club after turning 18 on Wednesday, and according to Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo (h/t ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan), his release clause could increase from €3 million (£2.2 million) to €12 million (£8.8 million).

The teenager moved to the Camp Nou from Incheon United in 2011 and was noted by Corrigan as one of the players whose arrival led to Barcelona being prevented from registering any new players throughout last year.

Lee was evidently eager to celebrate his landmark birthday after taking to his official Twitter account:

It's suggested the striker, who currently represents Barca's Juvenil A team, could make the move up to Barcelona B, part of the natural evolution in his career that opens up the chance of first-team involvement—and the rise in his clause.

In his first season with Barca's Infantil A, Lee scored 39 goals in 29 games to break a record previously set by club-mate Lionel Messi, leading the MailOnline's Pete Jenson to mention him as the "Korean Messi."

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

According to Ignasi Oliva of Goal.com, Lee has spent the last few months in his native South Korea after being prevented from lining up at Barcelona, but he's been told he'll "have to show he is in condition to play."

Barca manager Luis Enrique was quoted by Oliva and professed his desire to see Lee afforded opportunities following this period of exile: "Lee has had some problems, going through a situation similar to that of Seung Ho Paik, who trained with us following an extremely unfair punishment. It is crucial these players have the chance to practice the sport they love at the level Barcelona offers them." 

It's unlikely the newly turned 18-year-old will be starring alongside the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar anytime soon, but the lifting of Barca's ban at least makes that a possibility once again.

One would think the youngster will respond to that call convincingly after FourFourTwo's Greg Lea dubbed him the second-most promising under-19 player in the world in December, second only to Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard.

Lee is regarded as one of Asia's brightest up-and-coming prospects, and 2016 looks to have gotten off to a promising start as Barcelona's higher powers keep tabs on his progress at the club.