"Will he rise to the center of the Premier League again, overcoming the nightmare of overwork?" Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich) has taken a step closer to a challenge in the English Premier League (EPL).
Multiple media outlets, including German ‘Footboom,’ reported on the 28th (Korea time) that "Newcastle is in serious talks with Munich for the acquisition of Kim Min-jae, and the player’s camp has also shown a positive response to the transfer."
According to the reports, the transfer fee is estimated to be around £30 million (about 56.1 billion won), and Munich also appears to be actively considering selling him.
Kim Min-jae has played 43 games and logged 3,593 minutes while wearing the Bayern uniform, participating in 2,289 minutes in the league alone. This is the second-most playing time in the team, following Joshua Kimmich. In particular, Kim Min-jae has been coping with an Achilles injury since last October.
Even when he needed rest, Kim Min-jae couldn't take a proper break due to the numerous injuries of his teammates, and he continued to secure Bayern's defense. He has become an 'icon of overwork,' a concern raised by the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro). Thanks to this, Bayern reclaimed the Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy) that they lost to Bayer Leverkusen last season. Kim Min-jae also became the first Korean player to dominate two of Europe’s top five leagues.
After lifting the Serie A championship trophy with Napoli in the 2022-2023 season, Kim Min-jae was also successful in winning the Bundesliga. However, Bayern is considering parting ways with Kim Min-jae. There are criticisms in Germany suggesting that he has made too many mistakes since the second half of the season. If appropriate offers are received, Bayern's board wishes to send Kim Min-jae abroad, having already acquired João Cancelo.
Kim Min-jae, who always shouted that he would stay at Bayern and prove himself, has changed his mind. According to Falk, "Kim Min-jae is one of the candidates for release this summer. He himself would not hesitate to leave if he receives an attractive offer. He feels acutely the criticism of his performance in Munich."
Bayern's PR regarding Kim Min-jae's transfer is ongoing. Nonetheless, it is mentioned locally that Bayern's overwork last season is still holding him back. In fact, Bayern is known to be aggressively trying to take Kim Min-jae to the Club World Cup as well. However, due to his remarkable performance, he is being linked with several big clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool.
However, the Premier League could be a new land of opportunity for Kim Min-jae. Newcastle has secured a UEFA Champions League ticket and is quickly rising to the ranks of big clubs. Especially with the urgent need to strengthen the defensive line, Kim Min-jae's experience, physicality, and defensive style based on high pressing make him the ideal candidate. If the transfer goes through, he is very likely to play as a starting defender.
Aside from Kim Ji-soo (Brentford), there are currently no South Korean center backs playing in the Premier League. As Kim Ji-soo is a promising player, Kim Min-jae could effectively become the first starting center back in the EPL for a Korean. Furthermore, it would be an extraordinary case even across Asia. This challenge holds significant meaning not only in terms of career but also in the history of Korean football.
His competitive instincts are also gradually coming back. Currently participating in the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, he has returned to the team's training and is expected to see actual game time in the tournament. As rumors of a transfer to Newcastle become more concrete, a rebound on the field could play a favorable role in the transfer negotiations.
Having suffered from the triple burden of overwork, injuries, and fan departures on the German stage, Kim Min-jae is now preparing for a rebound in the EPL. If he heads to Newcastle United, it will hold symbolic significance beyond a simple transfer. Attention is on whether he will set a new milestone as the first starting center back in the EPL for a Korean.
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