Germany's prestigious Bayern Munich has reignited interest in signing Ronald Araújo, a key defender for FC Barcelona. At the same time, this could impact Kim Min-jae's situation.
The British 'Tribuna' reported on the 18th (Korea time), citing Spain's 'El Nacional', that "Araújo feels uneasy about his standing at Barça and is seeking a meeting with head coach Hansi Flick to address this."
Araújo desires consistent playing opportunities to secure his spot as a national team starter, but he finds himself at risk of being sidelined as Pau Curbelo and Iñigo Martínez emerge as priorities in Flick's system.
At the same time, the future of existing defensive mainstay Kim Min-jae has become uncertain. Despite taking responsibility for the team's defense throughout last season under heavy wear and injuries, Kim Min-jae showcased physical limitations in the latter half of the season, leading to frequent mistakes and ultimately to discontent among the club's higher-ups.
Incidents such as conceding goals against Borussia Dortmund and mistakes in the Champions League match against Inter Milan were enough to shake his standing within Bayern. Of course, a ridiculous factor is that players like Hiroki Ito and Dayot Upamecano, who were absent due to injuries, are being valued higher than Kim Min-jae.
Ultimately, transfer rumors surrounding Kim Min-jae have resurfaced. Bayern specialist Christian Falk reported that "Chelsea and Tottenham are keeping an eye on Kim Min-jae."
But there are no concrete offers yet. Instead, both clubs are analyzed to need to clear existing defensive assets before they can proceed. In fact, Chelsea is facing transfer rumors regarding Renato Veiga, and Tottenham is similarly linked to Cristian Romero.
Interestingly, Barcelona has previously shown interest in signing Kim Min-jae. Although it was at the rumor level back then, there are speculations that if Araújo transfers this summer, Barça may revisit the signing of Kim Min-jae.
In a situation where both sides need to bolster their defenses, a 'matched trade' format holds considerable potential.
Tribuna confirmed Bayern's interest, stating, "Bayern seeks a defender with rich international experience and strong physical attributes, and Araújo fits this condition perfectly."
On the other hand, Kim Min-jae is also reported to be open to the possibility of a Premier League transfer. The Premier League is seen as the optimal stage for him, requiring strong physicality and a fast tempo.
Ultimately, if either Araújo or Kim Min-jae leaves, it may lead to a series of transfers in the final stages of the transfer market. Thus, the major topic of this summer's European defensive transfer market is 'Kim Min-jae-Araújo.'
It remains to be seen what decisions Bayern and Barcelona will make.
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