Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) raised the 'Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy)' high in front of thousands of fans. However, the club's plan to get rid of him and bring in a replacement is lagging behind.
On the 18th, Bayern held a championship celebration for the 2024-2025 season at Marienplatz in Munich, Germany. The men's and women's team players of Bayern, who were crowned champions together, enjoyed the festival by taking turns raising the trophy from the balcony of the Munich City Hall.
Bayern confirmed an early victory in the Bundesliga by defeating Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 on the 5th, leaving two matches remaining in the league. This marks the 33rd Bundesliga title achieved right after manager Vincent Kompany took charge.
Kim Min-jae has added the first Bundesliga title of his career. Having become a champion in his second year at Bayern, he became the first Korean player to dominate two of Europe’s top five leagues. Kim Min-jae previously reached the top of Serie A with Napoli in the 2022-2023 season.
Bayern has regained the Meisterschale after two years. Last season, Bayern finished third in the Bundesliga under manager Thomas Tuchel. Bayer Leverkusen, managed by Xabi Alonso, achieved the first unbeaten win in Bundesliga history, while Stuttgart's late surge dropped Bayern to third place.
This season under manager Kompany was different. He instilled attacking football in Bayern and sought to change the team's style, leading them to a strong offensive start. Although there were challenges in the second half with injuries to key players and the concurrent Champions League matches, an early confirmation of the title was aided by Leverkusen slipping up.
On that day, Bayern players celebrated the joy of victory on the streets with fans. As the host called out their names, they stepped out onto the balcony one by one to raise the trophy. Starting with 'one-club man' Thomas Müller, who is leaving the team at the end of the season, Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, and Dayot Upamecano also made appearances.
Kim Min-jae was not absent. Dressed in traditional German attire, he was greeted by waving his hands as he came out after Alphonso Davies. He then raised the Meisterschale passed to him by Davies.
Despite this, Kim Min-jae's position within the team is unstable. He is one of the key figures in Bayern's success this season. He played a total of 43 matches and logged 3,593 minutes across all competitions, with 2,289 minutes in the league alone. This is the second most playing time at Bayern, after Joshua Kimmich.
Kim Min-jae's contribution was pivotal in making Kompany's attacking style possible. He covered vast gaps in the defense alongside Upamecano. Their alternating movement helped solidify the defensive structure, allowing Bayern to push their defensive line up to the halfway line and put pressure on the opponent.
In particular, Kim Min-jae has been dealing with an Achilles injury since last October while sustaining an intense schedule. He started every match in the first half without resting, leading to his condition deteriorating. However, with teammates falling due to injuries, Kim Min-jae couldn’t take proper rests and even played while taking painkillers. He became known as an 'icon of overexertion,' to the extent that the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) expressed concerns.
As the intense schedule dragged on, mistakes began to increase. Kim Min-jae missed international matches in March due to his Achilles problem, seemingly receiving a much-needed rest. However, the moment Hiroki Ito returned, a midfoot fracture reoccurred, and with Upamecano undergoing surgery, he clamped down and played on. As a result, he faced significant criticism after making errors that led to conceding goals against Dortmund and Inter Milan.
As a result, Kim Min-jae's future next season is uncertain. Bayern plans to sell him if a suitable offer comes in and to reshape their defense. German outlet 'TZ' reported, "Bayern is set to part ways with Kim Min-jae. He is considered a potential sale candidate by the club." The report added, "When Bayern signed Kim Min-jae for €50 million (approximately 78.3 billion won) two years ago, they hoped for much more."
Specific transfer fees were also mentioned. According to Christian Falk, a reporter from German 'Bild,' Bayern is hoping to secure between €30 million (approximately 46.9 billion won) and €35 million (approximately 54.8 billion won) from Kim Min-jae's sale. This amount is significantly lower than initially expected.
Kim Min-jae, who had consistently expressed his intention to remain at Bayern, seems to have changed his mind. He decided that he would take on a new challenge if conditions are right. Falk reported, "Kim Min-jae is among the candidates for release this summer. He himself wouldn’t hesitate to leave if he receives an attractive offer. He has felt the criticism regarding his performance in Munich keenly."
Bayern has already identified a replacement for Kim Min-jae. That candidate is the towering center-back Jonatan Tah, who stands 195 cm tall. Falk stated, "Bayern is leading in the race to sign Tah, and it is highly likely that the transfer will be completed as is. Considering the club’s desire to sell Kim Min-jae this summer, Tah could be an ideal successor, as he could also resolve issues with injuries in the defense."
However, the acquisition of Tah is being delayed. Tah hopes to leave Germany for Spain or England rather than join Bayern. In particular, he strongly desires to join FC Barcelona in La Liga. Negotiations have been delayed due to Barcelona's financial issues, but Hans Flick, the head coach, directly requested the player to wait, buying some time.
Since Tah himself strongly wishes to go to Barcelona, if the financial issues are resolved, a change of destination could easily happen again. Attention is drawn to the outcome of Bayern's attempt to sell Kim Min-jae without any measures in place.
[Photo] ⓒ Gettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), AT World News, Bayern Munich social media.
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