Interest from FC Barcelona in Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) is heating up. As rumors of his transfer resurface while he recovers from injury, the Spanish powerhouse appears to have begun formal acquisition procedures.

German outlet 'TZ' reported on the 11th (Korean time) that "FC Barcelona has inquired about the acquisition of two Bayern center-backs. The targets are Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae."

Among them, Kim Min-jae is classified as a sellable asset within Bayern, making the chances of a transfer relatively greater.

According to reports, Barcelona is considering multiple defenders on their list, taking into account the possibility of Ronald Araujo leaving the team. Director General Deco highly values both Kim Min-jae and Upamecano, and especially notes that Kim Min-jae's ball control and man-to-man defense capabilities align well with the style of newly appointed coach Hansi Flick.

Despite suffering an Achilles injury in the latter part of last season, Kim Min-jae was only granted rest after leading the team to the top of the league. He is currently in the process of preparing for his return after completing rehabilitation. However, Bayern has already shown an open stance on Kim Min-jae's future since last May.

At that time, the club hinted at a possibility of transfer for Kim Min-jae, assuming the possibility of Eric Dier's remaining with the team. Although Dier has since left the team, Bayern's plan to reorganize their defensive resources and supplement their finances still appears valid.

On the other hand, Upamecano is still regarded as a core player for Bayern. Manager Vincent Kompany plans to utilize Upamecano as a starting defender next season and the club has already initiated contract negotiations.

However, TZ added that there are slight visual differences between Bayern and Upamecano's side, and that several strong teams in Europe continue to show interest in him, indicating that no conclusion has been reached yet. The media reported that "Barcelona has been keeping an eye on Upamecano since his time playing at Leipzig."

Considering Barcelona's financial situation, there are prerequisites for acquiring Kim Min-jae. The most realistic scenario is if Araujo leaves the team, allowing transfer funds to be secured. In fact, Barcelona is also concurrently working on generating revenue through the sale of key players, stating that they will only move forward when conditions are met.

TZ stated that "Kim Min-jae is receiving interest from various European clubs, but so far, no concrete offers have been received." However, if Araujo's transfer materializes, Kim Min-jae could emerge as the most likely candidate for defensive reinforcement under coach Flick.

Reports indicate that Coach Flick has analyzed Kim Min-jae multiple times since his tenure with the German national team, and since he plans to carry over some defensive tactics from his time at Bayern to Barcelona, he believes that incorporating Kim Min-jae would be tactically manageable.

Currently, Kim Min-jae is included in Coach Kompany's plans, but Bayern is also leaving open the possibility of utilizing him as a card for sale if a strategic choice is necessary. Ultimately, if the timing and conditions align, the possibility of Kim Min-jae transferring to a team in Europe has reached a feasible level.

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