It is literally the embodiment of hypocrisy.
Director General Max Eberl of Bayern spoke on the 13th (Korean time) saying, "Kim Min-jae cannot participate in normal training due to his Achilles tendon. However, I have heard many say that we endangered Kim Min-jae's health." He then claimed, "We have never worsened Kim Min-jae's injury. On the contrary, we have always managed everything well while keeping it under control."
On the 10th, Bayern announced the 29-man roster heading to the United States through the club's website, and Kim Min-jae's name was also included. Amidst intense transfer rumors, the released roster did not sit well with fans. There are growing chances that Kim Min-jae will part ways with Bayern this summer.
Kim Min-jae has played 43 matches and spent 3,593 minutes wearing the Bayern uniform across all competitions this season, including 2,289 minutes in the league alone. This makes him the second on the team for most minutes played, following Joshua Kimmich. Notably, Kim Min-jae has been dealing with an Achilles tendon injury since last October but continued to push through.
Even when Kim Min-jae needed rest, he could not properly recover due to numerous injuries among his teammates and continued to defend Bayern's backline. He has become an "icon of overexertion," to the extent that the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) expressed concern. Thanks to him, Bayern has reclaimed the Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy) that they lost to Bayer Leverkusen last season. Kim Min-jae has also become the first Korean player to win titles in two out of the five major European leagues.
Kim Min-jae lifted the Serie A championship trophy with Napoli during the 2022-2023 season and then succeeded in winning the Bundesliga. However, Bayern is considering parting ways with Kim Min-jae. Local reports indicate that there have been too many mistakes during the second half of the season. Bayern's board wishes to send Kim Min-jae abroad if they receive a suitable offer and have already signed Jonathan Tah.
There are many teams interested in Kim Min-jae. Chelsea, Newcastle, Juventus, Inter Milan, and Saudi Arabian clubs are all showing interest in him. According to journalist Christian Falk of Bild, Bayern expects to earn between 30 million euros (about 46.5 billion won) and 35 million euros (about 54.3 billion won) from the sale of Kim Min-jae.
Kim Min-jae, who had always claimed he would stay at Bayern, has changed his mind. Falk noted, "Kim Min-jae is one of the candidates for release this summer. If he receives an attractive offer, he will not hesitate to leave the team. He has felt the criticism of his performance in Munich deeply."
Bayern's public relations about Kim Min-jae's transfer continue. Nevertheless, it is reported locally that Bayern's overexertion last season is still holding him back. In fact, Bayern is said to be attempting to bring Kim Min-jae to the Club World Cup against his will. Regardless, due to his remarkable performance, he is being connected with several big clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.
Kim Min-jae was completely absent at the end of the season due to injury. His recovery has been delayed to the point that he missed the June A-match. Local media speculated that participating in the Club World Cup was practically impossible. However, Bayern shocked many by calling Kim Min-jae up. The club wishes that even if Kim Min-jae cannot play in the group stage, he will at least participate in the playoffs.
Bayern even publicly shared footage on their social media of Kim Min-jae boarding a flight to the United States. In the video, Kim Min-jae was seen smiling brightly alongside Manuel Neuer, Jamal Musiala, and Thomas Müller. Furthermore, there is even a possibility that he could see game action in the group stage against Auckland City (on the 16th), as well as against Benfica and Boca Juniors.
There are analyses suggesting that Kim Min-jae's position could become even more ambiguous in light of the competition with Jonathan Tah, who joined from Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Bayern released the new uniform for the 2024-2025 season at the same time as the announcement of their Club World Cup roster. Kim Min-jae, who is entangled in transfer rumors, appeared as a model for it, stirring even more complex opinions.
Meanwhile, Director General Max Eberl of Bayern directly mentioned Kim Min-jae in a press conference held ahead of the Club World Cup. While the focus is on his status, the key point of his remarks about Kim Min-jae concerns 'injury.' He denied rumors that Kim Min-jae's injury worsened due to Bayern's overexertion.
Director General Eberl stated, "Kim Min-jae cannot participate in normal training due to his Achilles tendon. However, I have heard many say that we endangered Kim Min-jae's health." He then claimed, "We have never worsened Kim Min-jae's injury. On the contrary, we have always managed everything well while keeping it under control."
Director General Eberl, denying the overexertion, emphasized, "Kim Min-jae has only said that he wants to take a rest and recover his health. He plans to rejoin the team in training within a few days. And when he returns, the competition for a starting position will begin. There are many defenders, so Kim Min-jae will have to compete as well."
In addition, contrary to the initial stance, the club is also raising his price. Turkish transfer market expert Yagız Sabuncuoğlu reported on his social media, "Kim Min-jae wants to play for a team with a high chance of winning the UEFA Champions League (UCL)." However, the club is raising Kim Min-jae's transfer fee to demand 70 million euros (about 110.6 billion won).
It is obvious that Kim Min-jae's injury is due to overexertion, yet not only has the Bayern director denied it, but they are also calling him up for the Club World Cup. There are concerns about how long Bayern's hypocrisy will continue to torment Kim Min-jae.
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