Man Utd still in the hunt for £26m Bayern star
Manchester United are still interested in signing Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae in the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are currently focussing on bolstering their midfielder, and are looking to negotiate a deal for Carlos Baleba.
However, Michael Carrick may fancy adding a new centre-back to the ranks, and in that case, Kim Min-jae could emerge as an option.
Kim Min-jae: Transfer situation with Bayern Munich
Min-jae endured made 19 Bundesliga starts and a further six appearances from the bench last season, but he impressed every time he took the pitch.
He also featured eight times in the Champions League, but in reality, the South Korean has slipped behind Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah in the pecking order.
Vincent Kompany still sees the 29-year-old primarily as a dependable squad option, while the defender is also not keen to leave Bayern at the moment.
The defender has been previously linked with a move to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, while we previously reported Man Utd’s interest in the defender.
Christian Falk informs CFBayern Insider: “It is TRUE: There is some truth to reports around Manchester United’s interest in Min-jae Kim. As I’ve mentioned with Bayern Insider previously, the South Korean international is on the list at United. They’re always looking at his situation at Bayern Munich.
“That said, Min-jae Kim is very clear at the moment that he wants to stay at Bayern and he’s fine with his current role at the club. He’s not in the starting XI at the moment, but he has a chance to get there if he’s playing well and, of course, if injuries strike. So, Kim wants to see if he can push back into the team. It’s not like he’s so disappointed that he wants to force a move, and this is a very good situation for Bayern Munich, as they’re fully aware they can’t rely on just two senior centre-backs for an entire season. Having a player like Kim available is critical if they want to go far in all competitions – especially in the Champions League.
“Remember, succeeding in Europe is a big target for Bayern Munich. Vincent Kompany made it clear that Bayern want to do better than they did last term. The target is winning the competition. I can’t remember this aim ever being so clearly formalised by the head coach as Kompany did. So, you see, they need a really good squad and they need high-quality options like Min-jae Kim. So, whatever way you look at it, it’s a good thing that he’s staying.”
Will Kim Min-jae leave Bayern Munich?
CFBayern Insider previously revealed that the German champions could be open to negotiations if an offer worth between £26m and £34.5m for Kim Min-jae, who has a contract at Bayern until 2028.
Serie A giants Juventus are also interested in signing the South Korean but Man Utd are more likely to come up with the money close to Bayern’s valuation.
At the moment, Min-jae is not looking to move elsewhere. At the same time, it is not clear whether Man Utd would make a bid for him before the end of the window.
