"Did you bench Kim Min-jae? We'll take him." Juventus, leveraging his "former mentor connection," zeroes in on the signing... "Spalletti is calling."

*This content was translated by AI.

Kim Min-jae (30·Bayern Munich) has been linked with a potential return to Italy's Serie A.

Italy's "Gazzetta dello Sport" reported on the 15th (Korean time) that Juventus is closely monitoring Kim Min-jae as a key replacement in preparation for Gleyson Bremer's potential transfer to the English Premier League (EPL).

The media explained, "Kim Min-jae, as his time on the bench in Munich has lengthened, is seeking a change of atmosphere. Munich, for its part, is prepared to accept the player's wishes. Against this backdrop, Juventus has swiftly entered the race to sign him ahead of the summer transfer window."

Juventus' recent move stems from the possibility of losing defensive key player Bremer. The media reported that "Bremer is receiving love offers from EPL teams worth 50 million euros (approximately 87 billion won)," and added that "Damien Comolli, Juventus CEO, has identified Kim Min-jae as the ideal candidate to fill the void and strengthen the team's weight should Bremer transfer."

The core background of this transfer rumor lies in the connection between Luciano Spalletti, Juventus manager, and Kim Min-jae. The two worked together at Napoli during the 2022–2023 season, helping the club secure the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years.

Kim Min-jae, who joined Napoli as a replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly at the time, grew into a top-tier European center-back by winning the league's best defender award under coach Spalletti. The media reported that "since coach Spalletti knows best how to utilize Kim Min-jae, Juventus aims to replicate his past success at Napoli in Turin."

According to media reports, coach Spalletti praised Kim Min-jae as a "world-class defender," highly commending his powerful physical condition and speed. The media added that "Kim Min-jae is also likely to welcome a reunion with coach Spalletti, who helped him establish himself as one of Europe's top defenders."

However, to facilitate the transfer, the salary gap must be narrowed. Kim Min-jae is reported to be earning 10 million euros (approximately 17.4 billion won), including bonuses, at Munich. The media stated, "Kim Min-jae's salary is about double that of Bremer. For Juventus, this inevitably entails a financial burden."

Accordingly, Juventus is currently pursuing a plan to sign Kim Min-jae on a loan basis. The media predicted that "Juventus CEO Comoli will seek a compromise by leveraging the strong bond between Kim Min-jae and coach Spalletti."

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*This content was translated by AI.