Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Napoli defender Kim Min-jae for weeks but fear they may lose to Bayern Munich.
Kim Min-jae is reportedly a target for Manchester United. But the Red Devils fear that they could lose out on him to Bayern Munich. A report from Football Insider claims that the German club are now looking to hijack the move.
The South Korean international has a release clause which will be active next month. So the 26-year-old is likely to cost around £60 million. And amid interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United, a summer move is likely.
Manchester United need to bring in another quality central defender, and the Napoli star would be a superb acquisition. The Red Devils could lose Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof this summer after the two players struggled for game time this past season. Meanwhile, Eric Bailly is likely to move on as well.
Manchester United cannot head into the new season with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane as the only reliable defenders at the club. So the Red Devils should look to bring in another centre-back.
Kim Min-jae has already proven his quality in Italy, helping Napoli win the league title this past season. He will be looking for a fresh new challenge in his career. And the opportunity to play for Manchester United could be tempting.
Similarly, Bayern Munich are one of the biggest clubs in the world as well. And the opportunity to join them will be hard to turn down. In addition, the Bundesliga club can offer him Champions League football almost regularly. In the Premier League, there is far more competition, and Manchester United have not qualified for the Champions League in some of their recent seasons.
There is no doubt that the two teams have the financial resources to get the deal done for £60 million. So it will be interesting to see where the South Korean ends up eventually. But for now, Manchester United fear they will lose to Bayern.
Both clubs would represent an exciting step up in the defender’s career, and he will be hoping to test himself at the highest level next year. With Manchester United or Bayern Munich, the 26-year-old will hope to challenge for the Champions League title now that he has won a league title with Napoli.
