Kim Min-jae has been linked with a summer move away from Napoli, with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Newcastle United keen.
Manchester United are interested in signing Kim Min-jae. But they will face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United, according to Santi Aouna. The 26-year-old defender is the top priority for the Red Devils. But they have failed to progress in negotiations in recent days.
It will be interesting to see if Manchester United can achieve a breakthrough in talks and secure the South Korean’s services soon. There is no doubt that Kim Min-jae is a top-quality defender who has proven himself in Serie A football.
He could prove to be an upgrade on players like Harry Maguire and would certainly improve Manchester United. The Red Devils have Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane as the first-choice central defensive pairing right now. But they will have to add more depth to the side if they want to compete on all fronts next season.
The South Korean international helped Napoli win the Serie A title this year and will be hoping to take on a new challenge. The opportunity to play for a big club like Manchester United can be hard to turn down, and the player is likely to be tempted to join them.
🚨🔵🇰🇷 #SerieA |
◉ Kim Min-jae remains Manchester United's top priority. However, negotiations with the player have made little progress in recent weeks .
◉ Newcastle pass the second these last weeks. PSG & Chelsea have also an eye on him.
W @sebnonda https://t.co/Mlm3rr83lP pic.twitter.com/elFvLcjXTq
— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) June 11, 2023
However, Chelsea and Newcastle United are big clubs as well. And they have the financial resources to compete with Manchester United. That said, Chelsea finished in the bottom half of the table this season and are without European football next term. That could give Manchester United an edge in the transfer race, regardless of Chelsea’s resources.
Chelsea signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli last summer, and he has been a flop at Stamford Bridge. The Blues will have to bring in a better defender this summer as they look to tighten up at the back. The 26-year-old Napoli defender could be a quality acquisition for them. Players like Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta are on their last legs. So the Blues are in desperate need of reinforcements now.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United are one of the wealthiest clubs in the world, and they have secured Champions League qualification as well. Eddie Howe needs to bring in a quality defensive partner for Sven Botman, and the Napoli star would be an ideal acquisition.
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The Magpies have the financial resources to pay big money for the Napoli defender and it remains to be seen whether they can convince the player to snub and move to Old Trafford and move to St. James’ Park instead.