Kim-Minjae-Kasemir-Rashford line-up imminent…”Kim in Korea, won’t return to Napoli” (英媒体)

British media is also reporting that Kim Min-jae is heading to Manchester United.

Kim has had one of his best seasons in Serie A this season. After leaving Turkkiye Fenerbahçe to play in Italy, the home of defensive football, Kim was Napoli’s first-choice center back all season long, and he helped lead Napoli to their first league title in 33 years.

Along with the team’s title, he also earned top honors as an individual. The Serie A secretariat announced on its official website on Sunday that Kim was named the best defender in Serie A for the 2022-23 season. He was also named to the TOTS (Team of the season) list, which recognizes the best team of the season.

Unsurprisingly, many clubs were after him because of his buyout clause. Kim’s buyout clause is valid from July 1 to 15, when the summer transfer window opens, and while there’s no specific amount, it’s believed to be around €45 million ($62.7 billion).

Because of this, many clubs are targeting Kim. Manchester United, Manchester City, Newcastle United, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have all expressed interest in Kim. Among them, Man United showed an active interest in Kim early on. They even sent a scout to Napoli, and in the second half of the season, they became more aggressive in their pursuit.

Kim Min-jae’s move to Man United has been accelerating recently. “Kim will go to Man United,” Salvatore Caiaza, one of the most reliable sources for Napoli news, told our partner station ‘Kiss Kiss Napoli’ on Friday. European soccer transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano also said that Man United had been interested in Kim Min-jae and had even sent a scout.

On July 7, Daniele Longo, a reporter for the Italian media outlet Calcio Mercato, said, “Kim Min-jae is one step closer to joining Manchester United.” Not only the Italian media, but also the English media have already confirmed that Kim Min-jae is going to Man United. The Daily Mail reported, “Kim has already negotiated a transfer with Manchester United and is believed to be close to an agreement. The player has already said goodbye to his Napoli teammates,” confirming his departure from Napoli.

The reason why the locals in England are so confident about Kim’s departure is because of United’s situation. The Red Devils are currently in the process of rebuilding their squad ahead of next season under manager Eric ten Hagg. In his first season in charge in 2022-23, United finished third in the league and won the English Football League Cup (EFL Cup). After a successful season, Van Gaal will be looking to sell off surplus resources and bring in new ones next season.

If Kim Min Jae’s move to United goes through, Van Gaal will have even more depth in his squad. Rafael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been the main center back pairing for the Red Devils this season, but both have had injury issues, leaving the club in need of an additional center back. If Kim Min-jae is signed, United could have a core lineup of Kim Min-jae in defense, Casemiro in midfield, and Marcus Rashford in attack.

Meanwhile, local reports in England are convinced that Kim will leave Napoli once and for all. According to British outlet The Sun, “Napoli’s Kim Min-jae has bid farewell to the club. He will now take a short break in South Korea and then go to England, not Napoli.” Kim Min-jae arrived in South Korea on June 6 and is taking a short break. On the 15th, he will begin basic military training. After about a month of training, the transfer speculation is expected to intensify ahead of next season 메이저사이트.