This is a shocking story. Kim Min-jae (29) could be released from Bayern Munich after two years due to repeated mistakes.
Florian Plettenberg, a journalist from Sky Sports Germany, reported via social media on the 15th (Korean time) that "Kim Min-jae is not considered an 'untouchable' player at Bayern. The club isn't actively looking to sell him, but they are willing to consider appropriate offers this summer."
He added, "If Kim Min-jae leaves, Bayern will reinvest that money. Otherwise, they are planning for next season with Kim Min-jae, Upamecano, Hiroki Ito, Eric Dier, and Josip Stanisic as center-back options. Kim Min-jae's contract lasts until 2028."
Plettenberg is one of the leading reporters for Sky Sports. He quickly reported Kim Min-jae's transfer to Bayern two years ago. The fact that Bayern has left open the possibility of bidding farewell to Kim Min-jae makes this report even more shocking.
Kim Min-jae joined Bayern in June 2023 after leaving Napoli. At that time, Bayern invested €50 million (about 80.7 billion won) to sign him, who was named the best defender in Serie A. Former coach Thomas Tuchel highly evaluated Kim Min-jae, who dominated Italy with aggressive defense and speed.
However, Kim Min-jae did not meet expectations. Despite starting as a regular player due to the injuries of his teammates, he made frequent mistakes in the second half of the season. He appeared to be lacking concentration due to overexertion. As a result, coach Tuchel benched the Kim Min-jae-Upamecano duo and started Matthijs de Ligt and Dier, who was brought in on loan during the winter transfer market.
In particular, Kim Min-jae made two major mistakes during the first leg of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) semifinals against Real Madrid, causing him to bow his head. Coach Tuchel publicly remarked that "Kim Min-jae was too greedy," and seated him on the bench for the second leg. As a result, Bayern did not reach the final, and Kim Min-jae faced criticism as Tuchel's nightmare.
This led to various transfer rumors. In Italy, there have been rumors that Serie A clubs, including Inter Milan, are interested in Kim Min-jae. Nevertheless, Kim Min-jae vowed to stay at Bayern and prove his abilities.
In fact, after Tuchel left last summer and Vincent Kompany took over as the new coach, the situation changed drastically. Kompany, who employs an attacking style of play, started Kim Min-jae and Upamecano, who can cover wide spaces. The slow-footed Dier became a bench player, and de Ligt also transferred to Manchester United.
Kim Min-jae combined well with Upamecano, earning Kompany's trust. He occasionally made mistakes, but he showcased solid defense and was praised as a masterpiece of Kompany's coaching. There were compliments saying the monster Kim Min-jae from his Napoli days had finally returned, and he was even ranked first among center-backs globally by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) under FIFA in November last year.
However, Kim Min-jae has been struggling with an Achilles tendon issue since October last year. He also participated in the South Korean national team's schedule, which involved long-distance flights, failing to avoid overexertion. Ultimately, he collapsed before the A-match in March last month, but he could not rest for long due to the injuries of his teammates.
Kim Min-jae had to be in the starting lineup for the match against St. Pauli right after the A-match break. His total playing time this season has reached 41 matches and 3483 minutes. Due to the long-term injuries of Ito and Stanisic, and Upamecano's recurring minor injuries, Kim Min-jae has faced an enormous burden.
Could this be the reason? Kim Min-jae recently faced concerns about declining stability, culminating in a painful mistake during the 'Der Klassiker' against Dortmund on the 13th. He lost track of opponent striker Maximilian Philipp's movement in the 3rd minute of the second half, allowing the opening goal.
As a result, Coach Kompany substituted Kim Min-jae and brought in left-back Rafael Guerreiro. He assigned center-back duties to Stanisic, a player who is not a specialized center-back, believing it was the better decision. This moment overlapped with memories of being benched during games last season under Coach Tuchel.
After the game, local German media reactions were cold. Sky Sports published an article titled "Kim Min-jae's collapse and its consequences: will Kompany make the same choice as Tuchel?", expressing concern that Kim Min-jae might lose his starting spot as he did last season.
The media noted, "Kim Min-jae was poor in the match against Dortmund. This was not the first time this season. Kompany immediately substituted him after witnessing his positioning mistake, and director Max Eberl publicly criticized Kim Min-jae after the match," adding, "Is Kim Min-jae at risk of sitting on the bench for the important match against Inter Milan?"
Sky Sports pointed out, "Kim Min-jae was the best defender in Serie A and came to Bayern for a transfer fee of €50 million (about 81.2 billion won). In Italy, he was called a 'monster' for his strong tackles, quick speed, and excellent positioning. However, Bayern fans have seen only a glimpse of this. Kim Min-jae has fallen significantly behind in both skill and reputation since transferring to Bayern."
It continued, "Kim Min-jae has had a poor debut season but has been forgiven. He has to get accustomed to a new level of football and familiarize himself better with the club and team in addition to German culture. However, Kim Min-jae has not provided the expected stability in his second season either. After de Ligt's departure, Upamecano took over as the defensive leader and held the backline together until his injury."
In reality, Kim Min-jae has been tying up opposing strikers with aggressive defense but still bows his head due to mistakes that occur from time to time. According to the football statistics outlet Opta, he has made six mistakes that led to goals this season in both the league and UCL. This is the fifth-highest figure. Each mistake is a critical issue that must be corrected, given the nature of a defender.
Bayern legend Lothar Matthaus also criticized Kim Min-jae harshly after the match against Dortmund. He stated through Sky Sports, "Kim Min-jae moved away from the ball rather than toward it. He seemed to have lost his sense of direction. Overall, I could not comprehend Kim Min-jae's defense."
Eberl, the director, also directly targeted Kim Min-jae. He remarked, "It was a mistake. Kim Min-jae lost track of his opponent. Until then, he had been having a very good match against Seru Girasi. However, he surely has to know about the goal he conceded."
Of course, Kim Min-jae's physical condition should also be considered. He has been complaining of Achilles tendon pain since October last year, yet he still cannot avoid overexertion. Nonetheless, Director Eberl stated, "Kim Min-jae, like all the other players, is not at 100% condition as the season comes to an end. But that does not mean we cannot play him."
Ultimately, Kim Min-jae has been placed on Bayern's release list. Sky Sports stated, "Kim Min-jae is no longer an unsellable player at Bayern. If an appropriate offer arrives, Bayern is willing to have a conversation," indicating uncertainty about his future.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), Sky Sports, ESPN FC, Bayern Munich social media.
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