Man Utd target Kim Min-jae won’t know until July…’EPL bigwigs’ aim for 42m buyout

On July 7 (KST), British media outlet ‘The Sun’ reported that “Newcastle United are looking to hijack Kim Min-jae (26, Napoli). Kim’s agent is understood to have met with the club’s hierarchy at Newcastle’s last home game.”

It’s one of the biggest names at center back in the summer transfer market. Kim left Fenerbahçe of Turkkiye last season to play in Italy’s Serie A for the 2022-23 season. The pressure was on him to replace Kalidou Koulibaly (31, Chelsea), but he made the jump to the big leagues without much of an adjustment period.

A key part of the team’s core. Luciano Spalletti started Kim in the starting lineup from the opening game. Kim was a key player for Napoli, not only in defense, but also in the buildup. Napoli maintained their Serie A dominance throughout the season and won their first Scudetto in 33 years.

He also made history as an individual. Kim was named Serie A’s best defender for the 2022-23 season. He beat out Giovanni Di Lorenzo (29) and Theo Hernandez (25, AC Milan) for the honor. He was also named to the team of the year.

There have been calls for Kim Min-jae스포츠토토 Manchester United of the English Premier League (PL) have also reportedly made an approach. Raphael Varane, 29, and Lisandro Martinez, 25, are holding on, but they are in urgent need of another central defender. Captain Harry Maguire, 30, has been linked with a move away, while Varane has been sidelined with frequent injuries this season. He would also fit into the tactics of head coach Eric ten Hagg (52), who emphasizes accurate passing from his defenders.

United were the favorites, but Newcastle, backed by oil money, entered the fray. According to The Sun, “Newcastle are looking to hijack Kim Min-jae,” explaining that “Kim’s agent met with the club’s hierarchy during the last home game”.

The increased competition is expected to delay the transfer decision. Kim is scheduled to undergo basic military training at Nonsan Training Center from May 15 to early next month. “Newcastle are likely to pay a £42 million ($62 billion) buyout clause that kicks in on July 1,” the outlet added.