Bayern plans to sell Kim Min-jae at discounted price amid transfer market rumors

German media outlet Bavarian Football Works reported on the 18th (Korea time) that "Bayern has advised Kim Min-jae to part ways."

It further noted that "a center-back whose contract with Bayer Leverkusen is expiring, Jonathan Tah, is a strong candidate for Bayern," revealing that the club has already identified a replacement for Kim Min-jae.

Christian Falk, a journalist for German media outlet Bild, also reported that "the club has allowed the transfer of Kim Min-jae."

Bayern has also lowered the transfer fee for Kim Min-jae. The original amount of €50 million (about 78.1 billion won) has been adjusted to between €30 million and €35 million (about 46.9 billion to 54.7 billion won). This is interpreted as a strategy aimed at a quick sale.

Along with Kim Min-jae, Bayern has included Leon Goretzka, Leroy Sane, Mathys Tel, Brian Zaragoza, Sasa Kalajdzic, Serge Gnabry, Joao Palhinha, and Kingsley Coman in the list of players they aim to transfer.

The club is planning to secure funds for the transfer market through player sales.

Bayern is prioritizing Florian Wirtz (Leverkusen) as their primary transfer target. The transfer fee is expected to reach €150 million (about 234.5 billion won).

Kim Min-jae recorded 3 goals in 43 official matches this season. He played a total of 3,593 minutes, having participated in almost every game. He competed despite Achilles tendinitis, knee, and back pain, and even endured a sore throat to play. This has sparked concerns regarding overwork.

Bayern cannot be unaware of his dedication but wishes to 'sell' him. Is it true that they are using Kim Min-jae's mistake during the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals against Inter Milan as a major evaluation point? At that time, Kim Min-jae was criticized for losing his marker during a sequence leading to consecutive goals, contributing to the loss.

German media outlet TZ explained that "Kim Min-jae drew high expectations upon his signing but has disappointed in major matches," providing a reason for Bayern's desire to sell him.

Kim Min-jae led Napoli to the Serie A championship in the 2022-2023 season, establishing himself as a world-class defender. After transferring to Bayern in 2023, he expressed his determination to "continue to improve" and has indeed secured a starting position. Although there have been some mistakes, he generally performed stably. However, he is now approaching a departure process less than two years after joining.

[OSEN]