Bayern Munich want Napoli star to bolster defense
The recent developments at Sabner Strasse hint towards a new center-back arrival of Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window. Lucas Hernandez has informed Die Roten about his desire to join Paris Saint-Germain. The Bavarian club will reluctantly part ways with him as long as PSG makes the right offer for him.
Along with Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard has decided to leave Die Roten this summer. The former VFB Stuttgart defender had publicly admitted at the end of 2022 that he is open to considering new projects. Pavard is attracting interest from several clubs, so Bayern will end up getting a decent fee for him.
With two key defenders leaving this summer, Bayern will have to sign a new center-back to fill the void left by them. It does look like they may shop in Serie A to bolster their defense. According to Footmercato, Bayern is interested in signing Napoli’s Kim Min-jae as a replacement for Lucas Hernandez.
The South Korean center-back reportedly has a release clause in his contract that will be active in the first 15 days of July. The report from Footmercato has also been confirmed by Sky Sports in Germany and Sport1’s Kerry Hau. However, Die Roten will face significant competition from Manchester United for the signing of the 26-year-old defender. Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United also have an interest in Kim Min-jae. Sky Sport Italia’s Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Bayern is currently leading the race for the South Korean defender.
🔴🇰🇷 @FCBayern are currently on front seat for @sscnapoli centre-back #Kim Min-Jae. Talks are in progress, Bayern are willing to pay Kim's release clause. @Plettigoal @SkySport @SkySportDE
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) June 15, 2023
Kim Min-jae was one of the stand-out defenders in Serie A last season. He played a vital role in Napoli’s first Serie A title in three decades. The South Korean is very strong in possession and also has great defensive nous out of possession, making a very well-rounded defender that is entering the peak years of his career.
Bayern will have to reach an agreement with the South Korean defender before other clubs and activate the release clause early in July to win the race for this transfer. The fixed release clause (reportedly between €50-60 million) will make sure Die Roten is getting a quality center-back.
The Bavarian club would ideally like to sort the transfers of Hernandez and Pavard before the pre-season to get more clarity on the squad for next season. The funds raised by selling both French defenders can be invested quickly to bolster the squad. The next few weeks will give more clarity on Die Roten’s defensive options for next season.
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The biggest priority for Bayern this summer is signing a top-quality number nine. They want to fill the void left by Robert Lewandowski in the squad during last summer’s transfer window. Along with finding replacements for French defenders and signing a striker, Die Roten is also in the market to sign a defensive midfielder. After deciding to abandon the pursuit of signing Declan Rice from West Ham United, Rekordmeister will explore other options for the number six role.