Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich)'s high salary is likely to influence his transfer.
Sport1 reported on the 20th (Korea time) the evaluations of Bayern Munich players for the 2024-2025 season. In the report, Kim Min-jae received the lowest score of 4.5 among defenders. Germany's scoring system rates 1 point as the highest and 6 points as the lowest, meaning a score of 4.5 reflects a failing level.
Sport1 noted, "Kim Min-jae performed relatively consistently in the early part of the season, but his performance rapidly declined after an injury, leading him to begin being regarded as a risky element in the defensive line." It further stated, "His transfer possibility cannot be ruled out," mentioning possibilities regarding changes in his position within Bayern Munich.
In another player evaluation released around the same time by the German media RAN, Kim Min-jae received a score of 4. RAN assessed, "In the beginning, he excelled in competition due to agility and technical advantages, but repeated mistakes and worsening injuries occurred as time passed."
The controversy did not stop there. Japanese defender Hiroki Ito, who missed most of the season due to injury, received the same score as Kim Min-jae, leading to a fairness controversy among local fans and experts.
Ito underwent three surgeries due to a metatarsal fracture and managed just 282 minutes of playtime. In contrast, Kim Min-jae logged 3,593 minutes, recording the second most playing time on the team, behind Joshua Kimmich's 4,197 minutes. Given the contributions and playtime records, there were continuous criticisms regarding the fairness of receiving the same score.
RAN evaluated Ito, stating, "He showed potential to positively impact the team after returning from injury," but questions arose about whether the same standards could be applied to Kim Min-jae.
Kim Min-jae has been coping with Achilles pain since the match against Eintracht Frankfurt in October. He continued to participate in games while receiving painkillers, and the pain has not fully subsided during the winter break.
Last December, Kim Min-jae remarked, "Recovery is slow. The pain remains, but I feel a strong responsibility to play for the team." About his reasons for playing despite the injuries, he expressed, "Whether by mistake or injury, it's all my responsibility. I have no intention of avoiding it," demonstrating a self-disciplined attitude.
However, this dedication led to a decline in performance in the second half of the season, which in turn impacted internal trust within the team. Particularly during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Inter Milan and the league match against Borussia Dortmund, situations leading to goals against drew significant criticism. Local media referred to Kim Min-jae as "a precarious element in the defense."
Bavarian Football diagnosed that Kim Min-jae has struggled to adapt since his first year of transfer and that the possibility of being excluded from next season's plans is increasing.
Fabrizio Romano also commented on Kim Min-jae's situation. He forecasted on the 22nd via social media, "Kim Min-jae may head to the Premier League or the Saudi Arabian league," while highlighting that "the biggest variable for this transfer is the salary issue."
Kim Min-jae's current salary is known to be 11 million euros (17 billion won). This amount can be a significant burden for most mid-tier European clubs, and as a result, Premier League clubs and Saudi Arabian clubs, which are financially well-off, are likely to gain an advantage in negotiations.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich has shown a negative stance toward a domestic transfer of Kim Min-jae.
Bild reported on the 21st, "Bayern Munich is continuously monitoring external offers for Kim Min-jae and plans to prioritize offers from overseas teams over those from domestic teams," indicating a desire to prevent significant power loss to rival teams.
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