Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) is increasingly facing the possibility of a change in his status amid mental distress.
Interest from big European clubs, including Manchester United and Newcastle United, continues, and significant offers from Saudi Arabian clubs are also materializing.
Falk detailed Kim Min-jae's current situation through CF Bayern Insider on the 26th (Korean time), noting that "while Kim Min-jae may appear strong externally, he actually possesses a very sensitive personality and was deeply shocked by making a critical mistake during the UEFA Champions League match against Inter Milan."
Falk pointed out that "during last year's UCL semifinal elimination against Real Madrid, Kim Min-jae also became a primary target of criticism, and a similar situation is repeating itself." It is reported that Kim Min-jae suffered psychological shock and blocked the comment function on his personal social media due to malicious comments from fans.
Amid this, the possibility has been raised that Manchester United will attempt to sign Kim Min-jae again during this summer transfer market. Falk noted that Manchester United aimed to sign Kim Min-jae last year but failed, and at that time, Kim Min-jae was strongly wanting to remain at Bayern Munich. However, he explained that the situation has changed now.
Manchester United is likely to make a third attempt to sign Kim Min-jae. However, Falk stated that there is a weakening trust within Manchester United regarding the signing of players from Bayern Munich, as past acquisitions like Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui did not meet expectations.
Nevertheless, Manchester United is in urgent need of defensive reinforcements. Johnny Evans and Viktor Lindelöf are set to leave the team, and Lisandro Martínez is likely to be sidelined for a long term due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Acquiring a new central defender has become an essential task.
Kim Min-jae's expected transfer fee is estimated to be around 40 million euros (65.3 billion won). This amount reflects a 20 percent depreciation compared to the 50 million euros (81.5 billion won) transfer fee that occurred when he transferred to Bayern Munich last year.
Bayern Munich is also preparing for the possibility of Kim Min-jae's transfer. Florian Plettenberg revealed through his social media that Bayern Munich is ready to allow a transfer if an attractive offer for Kim Min-jae comes in.
In particular, the prestigious Italian club Juventus is showing active interest in signing Kim Min-jae. Juventus's Director General, Cristiano Giuntoli, is someone who directly signed Kim Min-jae during his time at Napoli and has been keeping an eye on him for a long time.
Premier League club Newcastle United has also joined the race to sign Kim Min-jae. According to Football Insider, Newcastle has set a transfer fee of 50 million euros (81.5 billion won) and has begun contact with Kim Min-jae's camp, showing confidence that they can compete sufficiently with SPL clubs based on the financial power backed by the sovereign wealth funds (PIF) of Saudi Arabia.
However, Kim Min-jae's high salary remains an obstacle to the transfer. Bavarian Football Works indicated that Kim Min-jae is earning a net salary of 12 million euros (19.6 billion won) per year, and most European clubs find this amount burdensome. If he hopes to stay in Europe, there is a strong possibility that Kim Min-jae will have to accept a significant salary cut.
If Kim Min-jae transfers to Manchester United, he would need to reduce his salary by about 10 billion won from his current earnings. It is also a burdensome situation for Manchester United to spend more than 20 billion won on a defender. Some speculate that Kim Min-jae may receive financial compensation in the form of a penalty when departing Bayern Munich.
Meanwhile, Kim Min-jae's high market value continues to spark rumors of a transfer to Saudi Arabia. European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano stated through his YouTube channel that SPL clubs are prepared to offer Kim Min-jae conditions to maintain or exceed his current salary.
Romano emphasized that the financial power of Saudi Arabian clubs is at a level that cannot be compared to that of big European clubs. Kim Min-jae stands at a significant crossroads where he must decide whether to give up his salary while maintaining his career this summer or opt for financial compensation.
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