Manchester City have apparently not given up on signing Kim Min-jae. There are mixed reports in Germany and England.
“Kim Min-jae is currently on the verge of a move to Bayern Munich, but there is still a chance that City could launch a last-minute hijack. Kim was initially interested in Manchester United, but negotiations did not progress. In the end, United seem to have lost interest,” the report said카지노.
“Naturally, Munich seemed to be the favorites to finalize the deal. However, Man City could open up another avenue. We don’t know exactly where Kim would prefer to go. However, it is unlikely that the player will turn down the offer as City have recently achieved a treble and it is unlikely that this upward trend will end anytime soon.”
Kim Min-jae has been one of the best defenders in the Italian Serie A this season. Kim burst onto the European scene last season when he joined Fenerbahce, and within a year, he had made a name for himself in one of Europe’s top five leagues. His destination was Napoli, who were looking for a replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly.
Although it was only his second year in Europe, Kim continued to impress. Playing as a regular center back, he helped Napoli win the Serie A crown for the first time in 33 years after the 1989-90 season. The Serie A secretariat awarded Kim the Best Defender award for his role in the team’s title run.
Having become one of the best center backs in the league, Kim’s value naturally skyrocketed. His price tag, which was €6.5 million (approx. KRW 9.3 billion) when he joined Fenerbahçe, rose to €50 million (approx. KRW 71.5 billion) over the course of the season, according to soccer statistics website Transfermarkt. And now it’s close to 60 million euros (about 85.8 billion won).
Transfer rumors also emerged. At first, United seemed the most likely destination. Eric ten Hagh wanted a top-notch center back to compete with the likes of Lisandro Martinez and Rafael Varane. However, no news of a deal emerged, and in the meantime, Munich emerged as the first choice.
The Bavarians are also keen to sign Kim via a release clause. There is a special buyout clause in Kim’s contract. There is a two-week option, valid only for foreign clubs, from July 1-15, and it is worth between €50 million and €60 million.
Munich’s starting center backs this season have been Mathias der Licht and Kylian Upamecano. However, Upamecano has been a bit of a disappointment in the second half of the season. Add to that the fact that both alternatives, Luca Hernandez and Benjamin Pavard, are likely to leave this summer.
The move to Munich was going well. Transfer market pundit Fabrizio Romano tweeted on June 16, “Munich presented the club’s project to Kim Min-jae this week. They are close to agreeing on personal terms. The talks are progressing rapidly,” and on the 20th, “Nothing has changed. Munich is the most likely destination for Kim Min-jae,” he said.
However, there was a twist. Manchester City joined the race for the player. Kyle Walker, who has been linked with a move to Munich, and Aymeric Laporte could leave the club this summer. This leaves them in need of center back reinforcements. With their deep pockets, City would certainly be too much for Munich.
However, while a move to City is possible, it is unlikely, according to local German media. On the 21st, Germany’s ‘TZ’ reported, “Munich, who are targeting Kim Min-jae, should move quickly to sign him. Man City could enter the race. However, a move to City is highly unlikely. The situation is moving in the right direction.”
Florian Plettenberg of Germany’s Sky Sports also reported on the 22nd that “talks and negotiations are ongoing for Kim Min-jae. It’s going very positively. Kim Min-jae wants to join Munich.” However, unlike the German reaction, the English are expecting a possible hijack.
