Min-jae Kim (Bayern Munich) has reportedly had his solid starting position shaken. Local reports in Germany suggest he is seen as a possible transfer target.

Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports Germany noted on the 15th (Korean time) via his social media that "Min-jae Kim is not evaluated as a key resource that must be protected within Bayern Munich."

He added, "The club is not in a position to let Min-jae Kim go, but it can consider reasonable offers during the summer transfer market."

Plettenberg was the first to report on the possibility of Kim's transfer, and he was also the first to break the news when Kim transferred to Bayern Munich two years ago. For this reason, this report has come as quite a shock to fans.

Min-jae Kim left Napoli for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023. He joined Bayern Munich for a buyout amount of €50 million (80.7 billion won), having been named the best defender in Serie A at the time.

Former manager Thomas Tuchel is reported to have highly valued Kim's overwhelming defensive ability in Italy and requested his direct signing.

Although he initially performed as a starter and displayed stability at the beginning of the season, mistakes accumulated over time. With declining stamina and a grueling match schedule, his focus waned, leading to fluctuations in performance. Ultimately, in the second half, he lost his starting position to Matthijs de Ligt and Eric Dier, who joined on loan. Kim and Upamecano were pushed to the bench, and the defensive line was restructured.

In the Champions League semifinals first leg against Real Madrid, Kim also made two critical mistakes.

Tuchel pointed out that "Kim was too greedy" and excluded him from the second leg. As a result, Bayern Munich failed to advance to the final, and Kim could not escape criticism from local media as a 'failed signing.'

Since then, rumors surrounding Kim's transfer have continued. Italian media reports indicate that several Serie A clubs, including Inter Milan, have shown interest in signing Kim. Nevertheless, Kim has expressed his intention to remain at Bayern Munich, opting for team competition over an immediate transfer.

The situation changed drastically. After the summer transfer market, Vincenzo Companies took over as manager, giving Kim another opportunity. Companies valued his ability to cover behind and utilized Kim, who has quick feet and wide activity range, as a starting center-back. His chemistry with Upamecano was relatively stable. In the restructuring of the defense, Dier was pushed to the bench, and de Ligt transferred to Manchester United.

Although Kim had not been completely error-free during matches, he gradually regained confidence and showcased stable defensive prowess, reestablishing himself. Some German media outlets have even assessed him as a key player under Companies. Indeed, Kim was named the 'world's best center-back' by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) last November.

However, since last fall, Kim has been playing with Achilles tendon pain. He played through all the international match schedules, which involved many long-haul flights, without rest, resulting in accumulated fatigue. During the national team call-up in March, his condition was poor, but due to the number of injuries on the team, he returned without sufficient rest.

Following the international matches, he started in the match against St. Pauli. This season, he has accumulated a total playing time of 3,483 minutes and has appeared in 41 official matches. The frequent injuries of fellow defenders have added to his burden.

These circumstances ultimately led to a decline in performance. In the Der Klassiker against Dortmund on the 13th, he overlooked an attacking run by Maximilian Beier, providing an opening for an early goal.

After this mistake, Companies replaced Kim with Rafael Guerreiro, shifting the left-back Stanisic to center-back. This decision was interpreted as believing that placing Stanisic, a full-back, at center-back was a better option than using Kim. It brought to mind the moments from the previous season when he lost his standing after being substituted under Tuchel during a match.

The reaction from the German media after the match was cold. Sky Sports reported with the headline "Kim has shaken. Will Companies make the same decision as Tuchel?"

It was further reported that "Kim showed poor performance in the match against Dortmund, and Companies made a substitution decision immediately after recognizing this. Director General Eberl also made critical comments about Kim after the game."

He continued, "Kim was recognized as a 'monster' in Italy, but his performance has significantly declined following his transfer to Bayern Munich. There is no doubt that he has not met expectations."

In fact, according to soccer statistics media Opta, Kim has made six mistakes this season that directly resulted in goals, which is the fifth most among all defenders. This raises concerns, as catastrophic errors from a defender can influence the entire match flow.

Lothar Matthaus also harshly criticized Kim's defense against Dortmund. He said, "Kim moved away from the ball instead of approaching it. He seemed to have lost his direction, and overall his defense was incomprehensible."

Max Eberl, the Director General, also mentioned Kim publicly, stating, "He lost track of the opponent. Until then, he had defended well, but in the goal-scoring scene, he clearly lost his position."

Of course, it is necessary to consider that Kim has continued to participate despite ongoing pain and decreased stamina. Director General Eberl also remarked, "Kim is not in 100% condition as the season draws to a close. Other players are the same, but that does not justify him not being able to play."

Ultimately, Bayern Munich is opening up the possibility of putting Kim on the transfer market. Sky Sports forecasts that "Kim is no longer regarded as a player that must be protected within the team. If a suitable offer comes, Bayern Munich could enter negotiations," indicating his future has become uncertain.

[OSEN]