"Would you like to come to our team?".
Spanish journalist Santi Aouna from 'Foot Mercato' reported on the 8th (Korean time) that "Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has made a significant move toward Kim Min-jae. As the French Ligue 1 champions and aiming to reclaim supremacy in Europe, PSG has begun a defensive reorganization, and it has been confirmed that the club's key figure, advisor Luis Campos, met directly with Kim Min-jae's agent."
Kim Min-jae faces the possibility of parting ways with Bayern this summer. He has played 43 matches and logged 3,593 minutes in all competitions while wearing the Bayern uniform this season, with 2,289 minutes in the league alone. This is the second most playing time in the team, following Joshua Kimmich. Notably, Kim Min-jae has been carrying an Achilles injury since last October while pushing through.
Even when Kim Min-jae needed rest, he could not properly recuperate due to a series of injuries among his teammates, and he consistently held the back line for Bayern. He has become an 'icon of overwork' to the extent that the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) expressed concerns. Thanks to him, Bayern reclaimed the Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy) that they had lost to Bayer Leverkusen last season. Kim Min-jae also became the first Korean player to triumph in two out of the five major European leagues.
After lifting the Serie A championship trophy with Napoli in the 2022-2023 season, Kim Min-jae successfully clinched the Bundesliga title as well. However, Bayern is considering parting ways with Kim Min-jae. In Germany, there are criticisms regarding the numerous mistakes made in the second half of the season. The Bayern board wants to send Kim Min-jae abroad if they receive a suitable offer and has already signed Jonathan Tarr.
There are many teams interested in Kim Min-jae. Chelsea, Newcastle, Juventus, Inter Milan, and clubs in Saudi Arabia are showing interest. According to Christian Falk of 'Bild', Bayern expects to secure between €30 million (about 46.5 billion won) and €35 million (about 54.3 billion won) through the sale of Kim Min-jae.
Kim Min-jae, who always claimed he would prove himself by staying at Bayern, has had a change of heart. Falk noted, "Kim Min-jae is one of the candidates for release this summer. He would not hesitate to leave the team if he receives an attractive offer. He deeply feels the criticism regarding his performance in Munich."
Meanwhile, Bayern's public relations regarding Kim Min-jae's transfer continue. Despite this, it is reported locally that Bayern's overexertion last season still hinders him. In fact, Bayern is said to be in a situation where they are trying to unnecessarily take Kim Min-jae to the Club World Cup. Still, because Kim Min-jae has performed so well, he is linked with several big clubs including PSG and Liverpool.
On the other hand, PSG is reviewing various candidates to strengthen the central defender position, and Kim Min-jae is at the top of that list. The reason is that Marquinhos is considering a new challenge after the treble. PSG is in urgent need of defensive reinforcements. Several defenders are being discussed as candidates, and Campos is continuing extensive contacts in Paris to find "the perfect puzzle piece."
As part of this process, a meeting with Kim Min-jae's agent was established this week, revealing PSG's interest. Journalist Aouna, who covers news from France and Spain, explained that "this meeting has not yet reached the stage of an official proposal but is considered a symbolic contact to formalize the club's interest. Al Nassr has also shown interest in Kim Min-jae, and Campos, the Director General of PSG, met with the agent to gauge Kim Min-jae's intentions and convey details about the PSG project."
The key to this transfer is how actively PSG will pursue it. Currently, they are showing greater interest in Bournemouth's Illya Zabarnyi, but combined with Marquinhos's uncertain future, Kim Min-jae's European stage experience and physical advantages are alluring factors that PSG would find hard to miss. In the summer transfer market, Kim Min-jae's next destination is expected to attract attention once again among top European clubs.
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