Bayern Munich identify potential replacement for Kim Min-jae

Bayern Munich have strengthened their defense by signing Jonathan Tah this summer. The German center-back has effectively replaced Eric Dier in the squad, but his role will be much more prominent than the English defender had last season.

In Tah, Dayot Upamecano, Kim Min-jae, and Hiroki Ito, Bayern have a solid group of center-backs for next season. The Bavarian club doesn’t have any urgent plans to sign another central defender, but things could change if Kim Min-jae leaves Bavaria.

The South Korean defender has struggled for consistency since arriving from Napoli in 2023. He had problems with his Achilles last season, which saw his performance dip in the second half of the season.

Kim Min-jae has been subject to interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, and Al-Nassr this summer. The 29-year-old defender is also weighing up his future in Munich, which suggests he would be open to a move away from Bavaria this summer.

In the event of Kim Min-jae potentially leaving the club, Bayern have identified his replacement. According to SportBild (via iMiaSanMia), Die Roten will look to move for Tomas Araujo from Benfica if the South Korean defender ends up leaving Munich later in the transfer window.

The 23-year-old is considered one of the best defenders in the Portuguese League over the last couple of seasons. He has been subject to interest from the Premier League over the last 12 months.

Araujo will be an expensive transfer for Bayern

Benfica are under no pressure to sell Araujo this summer. The Portuguese defender’s contract at Benfica ends in 2029. He reportedly has a release clause worth €80 million in his contract. Bayern will have to pay a significant fee to convince Benfica to part ways with Araujo this summer.

Considering the fact Bayern have to sign a couple of forwards, it looks unlikely that they will splurge such a big fee on a center-back this summer. However, Die Roten have previously negotiated successfully Benfica below the release clause when they had signed Renato Sanches a few years ago.

For the time being, the key target for Bayern is to get at least one forward in the coming weeks. They have agreed terms with Nick Woltemade. The negotiations with Stuttgart will commence once the U-21 Euros come to an end. The 23-year-old striker wants to join Die Roten, but Stuttgart will demand a big fee for him. Bayern also want to sign a winger this summer since they are set to lose Leroy Sane on a free transfer.