'The wall' Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) directly denied the transfer rumors to Manchester United.
German Bild reporter Christian Falk reported on the 30th that 'Manchester United is attempting to acquire Bayern Munich center-back Kim Min-jae this summer. They have previously failed to acquire Kim Min-jae but are showing renewed interest.'
Manchester United rose to prominence as a national club when they signed Park Ji-sung in 2005. The symbolism of being a prestigious club that produced the first Korean player in the Premier League was immense. In 2007, Manchester United played a friendly match in Korea with a star-studded lineup including Park Ji-sung, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo. All Koreans loved the red jersey of Manchester United.
Since Park Ji-sung, no Korean player has joined Manchester United. While Son Heung-min has constantly been linked with transfer rumors to Manchester United, they remained just rumors. It was once newsworthy that Son Heung-min confessed he was a fan of Manchester United because he liked Park Ji-sung during his youth. However, there was never an occasion where Son Heung-min wore the Manchester United jersey during his prime.
Park Ji-sung took off the Manchester United jersey in 2012. After 11 years, rumors of another Korean player joining Manchester United arose again. In 2023, Kim Min-jae led Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years and rose to 'world-class' status, causing his market value to skyrocket. Manchester United jumped into the transfer race, being evaluated as the front-runner in acquiring Kim Min-jae.
Bayern Munich has a policy of potentially transferring Kim Min-jae if a suitable offer of €40-50 million (634-793 billion won) comes in. Clubs from Saudi Arabia are willing to offer hefty amounts to Kim Min-jae.
However, another Bild reporter, Tobi Altschäpf, noted that 'Kim Min-jae wants to stay in Munich' while denying the transfer rumors to Manchester United. This is noteworthy as it presents a counterargument from another reporter within the same newspaper.
Kim Min-jae stated, 'I have no reason to leave Munich. I want to stay. But let's see. I battled through pain in my Achilles tendon for the past seven months. I want to prepare my body for next season.' He directly overturned the transfer rumors.
Bild questioned, 'The situation surrounding Kim Min-jae is awkward. Despite injuries this season, he has shown remarkable performance and dazzling play. However, doubts arise as to whether he can consistently perform at the level needed in Munich. Can Kim Min-jae really return to Munich next season?'
[OSEN]