Manchester United are still keeping tabs on Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, who has been on their shortlist for quite some time now.
This summer, INEOS have been occupied with their midfield revamp, at least before turning their attention to the left-back role.
Several sources have also tipped the Premier League giants to sign a new attacker before the end of the summer. On the contrary, there has been little to no development on the centre-back front.
Man Utd continue to monitor Bayern Munich’s Kim Min-jae
While signing a new defender isn’t a priority for Man Utd this summer, a few names have been occasionally mentioned, including Kim Min-jae.
The 29-year-old is a South Korean international who made a name for himself on the Asian scene, earning the moniker of the ‘Korean Monster’ before arriving in Europe in 2021 through the gates of Fenerbahce.
Following a successful year in Istanbul, the defender joined Napoli in the summer of 2022, and in his solitary campaign in Italian football, he helped the club win their first Serie A title since Diego Armando Maradona’s golden era. He was named the Best Defender in the league.
Kim’s exploits in Southern Italy prompted Bayern to trigger his €50 million release clause in 2023. However, the Korean has been playing second fiddle at the Allianz Arena, with Vincent Kompany favouring Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah.
Therefore, Kim has been constantly linked with an exit, and top German journalist Christian Falk confirms Man Utd’s interest in his services.
“ It is true: There is some truth to reports around Manchester United’s interest in Min-jae Kim,” wrote Falk in his most recent column for CF Bayern Insider.
“As I’ve mentioned with Bayern Insider previously, the South Korean international is on the list at United. They’re always looking at his situation at Bayern Munich.”
Nevertheless, the trusted journalist expects Kim to stay in Bavaria, as he has come to accept his secondary role at Kompany’s court.
“That said, Min-jae Kim is very clear at the moment that he wants to stay at Bayern and he’s fine with his current role at the club. He’s not in the starting XI at the moment, but he has a chance to get there if he’s playing well and, of course, if injuries strike.
“Remember, succeeding in Europe is a big target for Bayern Munich. The target is winning the competition. I can’t remember this aim ever being so clearly formalised by the head coach as Kompany did. So, you see, they need a really good squad and they need high-quality options like Min-jae Kim. So, whatever way you look at it, it’s a good thing that he’s staying.”
Do Man United need another defender this season?
After offloading the often-forgotten Tyler Fredricson, United are about to start their campaign with five centre-backs vying for two starting roles.
In theory, this should be more than enough, especially when considering the shortage of options in some of the other departments, like the middle of the park and the left-back role.
Nevertheless, some fans and observers would argue that reinforcement is still required at the back, pointing to Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt’s constant injury struggles, while arguing that Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven remain too green for a club that wants to go far in the Champions League and compete for the Premier League title.
That being said, the winds of change can wait for another year, as Harry Maguire and MUFC could decide to bring an end to their collaboration at the end of the season, and in this case, Kim could be the perfect like-for-like replacement thanks to his imposing physical presence and ability to play on either side of the pitch.
Therefore, the South Korean’s move to Old Trafford could be more plausible next summer, especially when he’ll have one year left on his Bayern contract.
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