Newcastle’s pursuit of ‘monster’ Kim Min-jae (27-Napoli) is heating up.
‘Newcastle have entered the race for Kim Min-jae,’ Spanish outlet Pichajes reported on Sept. 29 (ET). ‘Newcastle have decided to join the race to sign Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, who has been the subject of interest from Manchester United. Newcastle are now leading the race to sign Kim Min-jae. The reasons why Newcastle 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 the team to the level of quality needed to compete in the Champions League. One of the most important areas to work on is the central defense. 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. “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 for Kim Min-jae. Kim has been touted as one of the “hot” sellers this summer. Forbes, an American business magazine, published an article titled ‘Man Utd target Kim Min-jae is this summer’s bargain’. ‘Kim’s buyout fee would be the 10th highest ever for a center back in the English Premier League, but it would be a good deal considering his value,’ Forbes said. “He has the ability to compete for aerial balls and intercept balls. He also has the passing ability to build up.” “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 their first league title in 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 center of it all was Kim Min-jae. The first South Korean to win a Scudetto, Kim Min-jae was the centerpiece of the team throughout the season. When ‘Legend’ Koulibaly left for Chelsea, he was brought in as a replacement and quickly became the centerpiece of the team. In September of last year, he was named Serie A Player of the Month. He was the first Asian player to be named Serie A Player of the Month since the 2019-2020 season.
With Kim at the center of the defense, 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 his aggressive defense. He was praised by legends such as Fabio Cannavaro and Alexandro Costacurta. His performances were so fantastic that there is a debate about him being the best center back in the world beyond 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 shoo-in to win the award.
He’s been on the radar of big clubs all season, and his value is only going to increase. He’s been linked to a number of big clubs, but recently, Manchester United have been the most active. European media outlets have been reporting, “Man 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 is receiving 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 expert Fabrizio Romano recently appeared on a YouTube channel dedicated to United news and said, “Kim Min-jae is definitely a player that United are watching. They have already sent scouts to watch him several times.”
On the 16th, Italian media outlet Il Matino reported that the deal was “just a matter of fine-tuning. Il Mattino reported that “United are close to signing Kim Min-jae,” and that “the club’s top brass and his agent have also convinced him to accept the move.” A few days later, it went on to say 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 Min-jae’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 rumors, 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’re aware of United’s interest,” he continued, “but it’s going to be difficult for them to move quickly as they’re currently in the middle of a takeover. On top of that, they haven’t even confirmed their Champions League participation yet.”
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 roster again next season and get closer to the title. While the front line is the most pressing need, the central defense is also in need of reinforcement. Baran and Martinez are the mainstays, with Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, and others as backups, but they all have their problems. Injuries are common, especially in the front line. United are looking to bolster their center back line by getting rid of Maguire, Lindelof, and others. They want to bring in Kim Min-jae to give them a more solid center back line.
The Red Devils want to get a proven center back in the fold sooner rather than later. Wallflower center 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 buyout 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 his option for two weeks from July 1 to 15 to freely leave the club (abroad only). He is under contract until 2025.” “The buyout price could range from €45 million to €60 million. 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 those who 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 ability to get involved in the attack through passing and overlapping, he is the kind of defender that big clubs covet. All big clubs have weaknesses in their defense, big and small. With Kim Min-jae, they’re looking to fix that.안전놀이터
Add to that the fact that Newcastle, who are no slouches when it comes to money, have joined the race. Newcastle already have the same terms as 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 midst of the Qatar deal. From Newcastle’s perspective, the proven Kim Min-jae is an attractive target. The fact that he could be the centerpiece of a Saudi project could make him even more attractive. Nothing is finalized. Kim’s camp is smiling. On June 15, Kim plans to participate in a military exercise. After that, the real action is expected to begin. Since the buyout will be triggered in early July, Kim Min-jae’s camp also considers mid-June to be 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 great start with some of the biggest names in the game.