'Is it only Lee Kang-in?' Kim Min-jae's rumored move to Manchester United is also quietly heating up: "If not to Juventus, negotiations..." Munich also welcomes a sale

*This content was translated by AI.

While the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America is underway, transfer rumors involving South Korean national team players continue to surface. Following Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain) and Lee Han-beom (Midtjylland), the future of 'monster defender' Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) is once again drawing attention. He has also been linked with English powerhouse Manchester United.

Bavarian Football Works, which covers Bayern Munich news, reported on the 23rd (Korean time) that "Max Eberl, the club's director, appears to have nearly completed the first phase of the summer transfer market plan with the acquisitions of PSV Eindhoven's Ismaila Sarr and Frankfurt's Nathaniel Brown." However, the outlet added, "There is still work to be done. Director Eberl must sell at least four first-team players, and depending on the situation, there is a possibility of sending away at least two more."

According to reports, Munich has identified Joao Palhinha, Bryan Saragosa, Sasha Boy, and Alexander Nubel as targets for departure. The club's leadership expects to generate transfer fee revenues of between 50 million euros (approximately 88 billion won) and 60 million euros (approximately 105 billion won) from their sales.

The problem lies in the market atmosphere. Few teams are showing active interest, and those that have expressed interest are attempting to negotiate at the lowest possible price. Tottenham's efforts to drive down the transfer fee for Palhinha serve as a representative example.

Consequently, from Munich's perspective, attention must inevitably turn to the future of other assets that could generate additional revenue. Kim Min-jae and Hiroki Ito are among those targets. The media stated, "If offers for Kim Min-jae or Ito come in, Munich is willing to enter negotiations. Of course, unlike the four players mentioned earlier, they are not in an urgent situation where they must be sold. However, if additional revenue is generated, it would be welcome news for the club."

There are also teams showing interest in Kim Min-jae. It is reported that Italy's Juventus and England's Manchester United are currently monitoring Kim Min-jae's situation.

Bulle News, which primarily covers Bundesliga news, reported that "Juventus is ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign Kim Min-jae." Citing Christian Falk, a football reporter for Bild, the outlet stated, "Kim Min-jae has been picked up on Manchester United's radar. However, in the current transfer race, Juventus is leading."

It further explained, "Italy's Gazzetta dello Sport previously claimed that Kim Min-jae has sent positive signals regarding a move to Juventus. If he moves to Juventus, he could reunite with Luciano Spalletti, the manager he worked with during his time at Napoli."

However, if the move to Juventus falls through, Manchester United may step in. Bulle News added, "If Kim Min-jae's transfer to Juventus does not materialize, there is a possibility that Manchester United will begin negotiations to sign the center-back."

Of course, for a transfer to actually materialize, Kim Min-jae's will is crucial. Kim Min-jae was rated as one of the world's top defenders during his time at Napoli. He played a key role in leading Napoli to the Serie A title in the 2022-2023 season, dominating the league stage, and based on that performance, he donned the Munich jersey in 2023.

However, his position at Munich has not been as secure as expected. Under manager Vincent Kompany's system for the 2025-2026 season, Kim Min-jae was utilized more as a rotational defender rather than a fixed starter. He essentially served as one of three center-back options.

Nevertheless, it is difficult to assume that Kim Min-jae is strongly seeking a transfer at this moment. Kim Min-jae has previously expressed satisfaction with his current situation in interviews. Bulle News also noted, "Since Kim Min-jae is satisfied with his role as a squad member, it is still too early to be certain that he will leave German champion Munich."

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*This content was translated by AI.