Newcastle’s pursuit of ‘monster’ Kim Min-jae (27-Napoli) is in full swing.
Spanish media outlet Pichajes reported on the 29th (KST) that ‘Newcastle have entered the race to sign Kim Min-jae’. ‘Newcastle have decided to join the race for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United. Newcastle are now leading the race to sign the defender. The reasons why Newcastle would want to sign Kim are clear. Newcastle have qualified for the Champions League this season. They are preparing to undergo a major rebuild to bring their squad up to the level required to compete in the Champions League. One of the areas they’re working on is their central defence. With Jamal Lascelles set to leave the club, they are looking to upgrade with Kim Min-Jae, who is considered one of the best defenders in the world.
‘Newcastle are looking to improve their squad to compete in Europe’s elite,’ says Pichajes. ‘A strong defence is a key requirement,’ he said. ‘At 26, Kim is entering his prime and has the potential to make an immediate impact on the English scene. He is physically and technically versatile and a complete defender.
European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano echoed this sentiment. “Not only Man United but also Newcastle are willing to pay a buyout for Kim,” he said.
Newcastle’s move heated up the race to sign Kim. Kim has been touted as the ‘hot’ sale of the summer. Forbes, an American business magazine, published an article titled ‘Man Utd’s target is Kim Min-jae, the bargain of the summer’. ‘Kim’s buyout would be about the 10th highest ever for a centre-back in the English Premier League, but it would be a good deal considering his value,’ Forbes said. “He has good aerial competitiveness and can intercept the ball. He also has the passing ability to build up,” he said, adding: “He is entering his prime as a defender. He needs very little time to adapt to the English game. He even has military service benefits. It’s not a risky move to sign him.
As Forbes put it. Kim Min-jae has been one of the best defenders this season. Napoli won an emotional league title after 33 years. It was the third time Napoli had won the title since the 1986-1987 and 1989-1990 seasons, when the late ‘legend’ Diego Maradona played. At the centre of it all was Kim Min-jae. The first South Korean to win a Scudetto, Kim Min-jae was a key part of the team throughout the season. When ‘Legend’ Koulibaly left for Chelsea, he was brought in as a replacement and quickly became the centrepiece of the team. In September last year, he was named Serie A Player of the Month. He was the first Asian player to win the Serie A Player of the Month award since the 2019-2020 season.
With Kim at the centre of the defence, Napoli conceded the fewest goals in the league this season. In a particularly aggressive Luciano Spalletti style of play, Kim has done a remarkable job with an aggressive defence. The praise from legends such as Fabio Cannavaro and Alexandro Costacurta followed. His performances were so spectacular that there was a debate about him being the best centre-back in the world, not just in Italy. He’s in Napoli’s all-time top 11, and unsurprisingly, he’s been nominated for Serie A Team of the Year this season. He’s a strong favourite to win the award.
He’s been on the radar of big clubs all season, and his value is only going to increase. He has been linked with a number of big clubs, with Manchester United the latest to make a move. European media outlets are reporting that United are stepping up their pursuit of Kim Min-jae. They could pay a buyout” in a series of reports.
France’s Foot Mercato reported that ‘United have held talks with Kim Min-jae’ and that ‘United will offer the star striker a much higher salary than he receives at Napoli’. ‘United have been in contact with Kim since the World Cup,’ said Tuttomercato in Italy, ‘and will try to sign him for an amount above his buyout in June, ahead of July, when the buyout is activated’. Transfer pundit Fabrizio Romano recently appeared on a YouTube channel specialising in United news and said: “Kim Min-jae is definitely a player United are watching. They have already sent scouts to watch him several times.”스포츠토토
On the 16th, Italian media outlet Il Matino reported that the deal was “just a matter of fine-tuning”. ‘United are close to signing Kim Min-jae,’ Il Matino said, adding that ‘the club’s hierarchy and his agent have also convinced him to accept a move to Man United.’ A few days later, it was reported that ‘United have found a villa in Alderley Edge, England, for Kim Min-jae to live in’. Alderley Edge, located in the Cheshire region near Manchester, England, is where Park Ji-sung (42-retired) lived from 2005 to 2012. However, Kim Min-jae’s side drew a line in the sand. “There has been no concrete contact,” said Kim’s representative, adding, “The 2022-2023 season is not over yet. The player was only focused on winning the league this season. He was not swayed by the rumours, and we decided not to move until the end of the season. Now that we’ve won the title, we’ll wait and see,” he said. “We are aware of United’s interest,” he continued, “but it would be difficult for them to move quickly as they are currently in the middle of a takeover. On top of that, United have yet to confirm their Champions League qualification.”
However, it is a fact that United want Kim Min-jae. United have shown signs of life under Van Gaal this season. They won the League Cup and reached the FA Cup final. They also qualified for the Champions League. The Red Devils will be looking to add to their squad again next season and get closer to the title. While the front line is the most pressing need, the central defence is also in need of reinforcement. Baran and Martinez are the mainstays, with the likes of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as back-ups, but they all have their own problems. Injuries are common, especially in the front line. United are looking to bolster their centre-back line by getting rid of Maguire and Lindelof. They want to bring in Kim Min-jae to give them a more solid centre-back line.
United are keen to secure a proven signing early. Wall-clearing centre-backs are becoming increasingly rare. Kim has already proven himself in the Champions League. Even in the star-studded Champions League, no striker has broken through. However, the situation is complicated. There’s the buyout. Kim inserted a buyout clause when he joined Napoli last summer. ‘There is a buy-out clause in Kim’s contract that allows him to leave Napoli this summer,’ said Areanapoli. It is a very real risk for president Aurelio De Laurentiis. ‘Kim can exercise the option during the two-week period from 1 to 15 July and leave the club freely (abroad only). ‘The buyout price could range from €45m to €60m. Kim is under contract until 2025. The price is linked to a parameter on the turnover of the buyer.
A buyout would be the winner of the battle for Kim Min-jae. Given his performances this season, it’s a relatively low price to pay, which is why Man Utd aren’t the only ones keeping tabs on him. Manchester United, Man City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain are among the clubs that want him. It’s no exaggeration to say that all of the world’s top clubs want him, especially the English ‘big six’. This speaks volumes about his current status. With his strength and pace, excellent defensive ability, and the ability to get involved in attack through passing and overlapping, he’s a defender that big clubs covet. Big clubs all have weaknesses in their defence, big and small. With Kim Min-jae, they’ll be able to address them.
Add to that Newcastle, who are no slouches when it comes to money. Newcastle have already agreed terms with United. They have the European Champions League tickets that Kim wants, and they are above United in terms of money. Newcastle can be more aggressive than United as they are currently in the middle of the Qatar deal. From Newcastle’s point of view, the proven Kim Min-jae is an attractive signing. The fact that he could be the centrepiece of a Saudi project could make him even more attractive. Nothing is finalised. Kim’s camp is smiling. On 15 June, Kim plans to take part in a military exercise. The real action is expected to begin after that. Since the buyout is triggered at the beginning of July, Kim Min-jae’s camp also sees mid-June as the key point. It was the same last summer, but this time on a larger scale. The Kim Min-jae saga is about to get off to a flying start with the names of some of the biggest teams being thrown around.