Kim Min-jae poised to sign a deal with Manchester United

Many reports are coming out on the Napoli defender Kim Min-jae is closing in on a deal with the Manchester United.

“It is only a matter of sorting out the details of Kim’s transfer,” the Naples-based media outlet Il Mattino reported. Another Italian outlet Foot Mercato reported that Manchester United has held discussions with the player’s representatives after identifying Kim as their top defensive target to improve United’s defense. Daily Mail and The Mirror see that it is highly likely that Kim will sign a new contract with the English club. According to ESPN, Napoli is looking for a new center back, with Jurrien Timber, a defender for Ajax Amsterdam, designated as a potential candidate.

Kim Min-jae’s buyout clause, which sets the minimum amount of a player’s transfer fee, will become active from July 1 for two weeks. Kim’s buyout amount is known to be 44 million pounds (approximately 74.7 billion won), and Manchester United has reportedly prepared 52 million pounds to get Kim to Old Trafford. Napoli paid Turkish club Fenerbahce 19.5 million euros (approximately 28.3 billion won) in July 2022 to bring Kim.

Kim will be the 15th South Korean soccer player to play in the English Premier League should he join Manchester United this summer, and the second South Korean player to wear United Jersey following Park Ji-sung, technical director for K League’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

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Kim has been listed as a Serie A Player of the Season, which was announced on Tuesday. The South Korean center back was shortlisted for the category of Best Defender, among 45 candidates (five for Best Goalkeeper, 13 for Best Defender, 14 for Best Midfielder, and 13 for Best Striker).


Dong-Wook Kim creating@donga.com