"If you're scared of the boomerang, go abroad."
European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano reported on the 22nd (Korea time) that "Kim Min-jae's future lies more in the English Premier League (PL) or the Saudi Arabia league than at Bayern Munich." Prior to this report, German media outlet Sport Bild stated on the 21st that "Bayern wants to wait for transfer offers for defensive star Kim Min-jae. They hope offers will come in from abroad."
According to the media, Max Eberl, Bayern's director, has support for the squad concept he devised. After presenting the plan to the board, he received approval for this summer's transfer policy. Other transfers have already been approved. Sport Bild reported that "Eberl has been permitted to contract with Tah."
As of last August, the management committee did not allow the acquisition of Tah, the defensive leader of Bayer Leverkusen. At that time, Leverkusen demanded a transfer fee of 25 million euros (about 39.3 billion won). However, Eberl has now gained the authority to contract with Tah, who is currently a free agent (FA), until 2028," it was explained.
The future of the existing Bayern center-backs is also becoming clearer. Eric Dier has already left Bayern after his contract expired and signed a three-year contract with AS Monaco. The board is said to understand Eberl's decision to offer him a lower salary, shorter contract duration, and a narrower position within the team compared to Monaco.
Kim Min-jae's partner, Dayot Upamecano, is likely to re-sign. His contract with Bayern ends in summer 2026, making this summer a crucial juncture. Although there were fears that negotiations might break down due to Upamecano's high salary demands, it seems they are finding common ground again.
Sport Bild reported that "discussions regarding a contract extension with Upamecano are underway. He has participated in 33 matches with Bayern this season. However, he has not been able to play since the end of March due to cartilage damage."
Florian Plettenberg, a journalist at Sky Sports Germany, also indicated that there has been positive progress regarding Upamecano's re-signing. He stated, "New discussions between both parties have begun and are proceeding in a much more constructive direction. Upamecano and Bayern are in negotiations to extend the contract period until 2030."
However, Kim Min-jae's future is different. Sport Bild reported that "Bayern is waiting for overseas offers for Kim Min-jae. He has participated in 43 matches this season. Korean center-back Kim Min-jae transferred from Napoli to Munich for a transfer fee of 50 million euros (about 78.6 billion won) in 2023."
It seems Bayern does not want to send Kim Min-jae to rival clubs in the Bundesliga. However, they are willing to sell him if a good offer comes from abroad. Recently, while there are doubts about Kim Min-jae's stability, his potential seems to be highly valued.
Although it has only been two years since Kim Min-jae donned the Bayern uniform, transfer rumors are hot. He has been more dedicated than anyone else at Bayern this season. He played 43 matches for a total of 3,593 minutes across all competitions, and 2,289 minutes in the league alone. This is the second most playing time at Bayern, following Joshua Kimmich.
In particular, Kim Min-jae has been battling an Achilles injury since October of last year. Even when he needed a break, he couldn't rest properly due to teammates' injuries and continued to fortify Bayern's backline. He became an 'icon of overwork' to the point that the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) expressed concern.
Thanks to his efforts, Bayern has reclaimed the Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy) that they lost to Leverkusen last season. Kim Min-jae also became the first Korean player to conquer two of the top five leagues in Europe. However, it remains uncertain whether Kim Min-jae will continue to wear the Bayern uniform next season.
Perhaps due to his prolonged battle with injuries, Kim Min-jae has made frequent mistakes as the season came to a close, leading to increased criticism in Germany. Consequently, reports have emerged, primarily from prominent outlets like Sky Sports and Bild, suggesting Bayern is considering parting ways with Kim Min-jae.
Kim Min-jae, who always proclaimed that he would prove himself by staying at Bayern, appears to have changed his mind. Bild reporter Christian Falk said, "Kim Min-jae is one of the candidates for release this summer. He himself doesn't hesitate to leave the team if he receives an attractive offer. He feels the criticisms of his performance in Munich deeply."
Many teams want Kim Min-jae. Chelsea, Newcastle United, Juventus, Inter Milan, and clubs in Saudi Arabia are showing interest in him. In particular, Serie A clubs that are well aware of Kim Min-jae's performance during his time at Napoli are strongly desiring him. At Juventus, there is also Director General Cristiano Giuntoli, who recruited him during his Napoli days.
Kim Min-jae's next destination is still unknown, but one thing is certain: Bayern has decided to part ways with him. According to Falk, Bayern's board had higher expectations for him when they acquired him from Napoli for 50 million euros (about 78 billion won) two years ago. They are dissatisfied with Kim Min-jae's growth.
Specific transfer fees have also been mentioned. According to Falk and reporter Tobi Altschäffl, Bayern expects to receive around 30 million euros (about 46.9 billion won) to 35 million euros (about 54.8 billion won) from Kim Min-jae's sale. This is a significant drop from the originally anticipated amount.
Bayern is reportedly more open to selling Kim Min-jae as they have already begun searching for his replacement. Tah, a towering center-back standing 195 cm tall, is said to be nearing a transfer to Bayern. Falk stated, "For now, Bayern is leading the acquisition race and the likelihood of completing the transfer appears very high."
Tah is a center-back boasting an incredible speed of up to 35.81 km/h. He has been playing in Leverkusen's uniform since 2015 and was a key player in the first-ever undefeated championship in the Bundesliga last season. Although he was once seen as a candidate for a transfer to Barcelona, negotiations dragged on due to Barcelona's financial issues, causing him to shift his focus to a transfer to Bayern.
Meanwhile, transfer market expert Romano stated about Kim Min-jae's destination that "Kim Min-jae's future will likely be in the PL or Saudi Arabia. There are not many leagues that can afford his relatively high salary," and he predicted relatively negatively regarding a move to Serie A.
Ultimately, coupled with Bayern's stance of fearing Kim Min-jae's boomerang and the immense salary, internal transfers within the Bundesliga have become impossible. The interest is focused on where Kim Min-jae's next destination will be.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), AS Monaco, Bayern Munich, Transfermarkt social media.
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