Bayern Munich has potentially hijacked Manchester United’s pursuit of Kim Min-Jae

There is apprehension within the ranks of Manchester United about the possibility of losing out on the deal with Kim Min-Jae.

According to sources at Football Insider, Man United’s pursuit of Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae is under threat as Bayern Munich has reportedly intervened in the transfer negotiations.

The Red Devils had identified the 26-year-old centre-back as a priority target and had initiated talks to secure his services.

However, Bayern Munich has now emerged as a potential contender, aiming to swiftly finalize an agreement with Kim.

The South Korean international, who has a contract with Napoli until 2025, possesses a release clause that is set to become active next month. Speculations indicate that the clause is valued at approximately £60 million.

What does Kim Min-jae’s performance in the 2022-23 season say? 

Kim Min-Jae had an outstanding season in 2022-23, contributing significantly to Napoli’s success as they clinched their first Serie A title in over three decades.

Moreover, his impressive performances included two goals and two assists in 45 appearances across various competitions. Napoli even reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Kim joined the Italian club from Fenerbahce in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of £15.4 million.

Manchester United looking for Kim Min-jae’s alternatives? 

The 20-time English Champions are eager to strengthen their defensive options during the upcoming transfer window, following their qualification for the Champions League.

Both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, the team’s first-choice centre-backs, faced injury concerns at certain points during the previous season.

Additionally, there are uncertainties surrounding the future of Victor Lindelof, a peripheral figure at Old Trafford, as he approaches the final year of his contract. This tells us how badly United would be looking for defensive transfer targets this summer.

Thus, the Old Trafford outfit needs to figure out Kim’s alternative as the defender is all set to join the German Champions.

The Red Devils’ pre-season preparations will kick off on 12 July with a match against Leeds United, a team from the Championship. While Ten Hag wants to make all the recruitments before that.