Manchester United targets Kim Min-jae to strengthen defense amidst Liverpool competition

Manchester United (Man U) is looking to acquire Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) to strengthen their defense during the summer transfer market.

German media outlet 'One Football' reported on the 15th (Korea time), "Man U hopes to sign Kim Min-jae. Competition with Liverpool is inevitable."

Kim Min-jae, who played 43 matches and scored 3 goals for Munich in the 2024-2025 season, is recognized as a defender who prevents crises with strong tackles and excellent situational judgment.

The possibility of Kim Min-jae's sale rose sharply towards the end of the season.

He has been dealing with a left Achilles tendon injury since October of last year. It became difficult to maintain consistent performance amid a demanding schedule. Ultimately, he bore some responsibility for the team's exit from the UEFA Champions League group stage, affecting his position within the team, and there are rumors that he will make a full transfer during this summer transfer market.

It is uncertain whether he can adapt to the high intensity of the Premier League, but he is analyzed as a player with sufficient competitiveness.

'One Football' noted, "Kim Min-jae could add stability to the defensive line under coach Ruben Amorim," stating he is "an asset that could be used as a starter and impact the team immediately."

Bayern has already completed the acquisition of Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen as a replacement for Kim Min-jae. German outlet 'Bild' reported on the 8th that "Bayern plans to build their defense around Dayot Upamecano and the newly acquired Tah."

According to 'Bild', coach Vincent Kompany, who has shown faith in Kim Min-jae throughout the season, has also agreed to his transfer.

Bayern seeks to recover the transfer fee of 50 million euros (approximately 79 billion won) paid for Kim Min-jae as much as possible. Recently, there were reports that they want a transfer fee in the range of 70 million euros (approximately 110.6 billion won).

Before Man U's interest intensified, it seemed that Kim Min-jae's high salary would act as a barrier to his transfer. One of the backgrounds for the rumor that Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is pushing to sign Kim Min-jae is that it was believed only Saudi clubs could bear his high market value. French outlet 'Foot Mercato' reported on the 11th that "Al Nassr has shown deep interest in Kim Min-jae and negotiations are progressing."

However, Kim Min-jae wishes to play for a team with the potential to win the Champions League.

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