Kim Min-jae (29), who is likely to leave Bayern Munich this summer, has become a link with Italy's prestigious Juventus.
The Italian newspaper 'Gazeta delosport' mentioned the possibility of Kim Min-jae's recruitment in an article predicting a change in the defense under Juventus' Igor Tudor next season on the 19th (local time).
The media reported 'Korean Monster Playing in Munich is the hottest name. Kim Min-jae is likely to work with Bremer and Pierre Calulu, who are currently Juventus' key defenders, according to the report.
'Gazeta delosport' Juventus recently invested a lot of money in strengthening its defense, but it shows no signs of stopping investment. In the transfer market last summer and the transfer market last winter, a transfer fee of 48.3 million euros was spent only on strengthening the defense. 'In preparation for the long-term injury of Bremer and Juan Cabal and Danilu's departure, Juventus has already begun to move. The first step will be to completely sign Kalulu from Milan. The conditions for a complete transfer are 14 million euros. Bremer, who injured his cruciate ligament, said he is expected to return through the Club World Cup in June-July.
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| Juventus coach Igor Tudor. |
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The rest will then depend on whether Henatu Beiga (Chelsea loan) and Federico Gatti renew their contracts. Gattie is close to renewing his contract by 2030, but he is currently receiving interest from leading Premier League clubs. Fiorentina's young defender Pietro Comuzzo, Parma's Giovanni Leoni and more experienced Kim Min-jae are also paying attention in case he leaves Germany. 'Everything can change quickly. Depending on who leaves, young players such as Komucho or Leoni, or famous players such as Kim Min-jae, can join, he observed.
Kim Min-jae, who moved from Italian club Napoli to Munich in the summer of 2023, has played as Munich's main centre-back for two consecutive seasons. However, as in the second half of last season, he was at the center of criticism for his continuous mistakes in important games in the second half of this season. According to Opta, which specializes in soccer statistics, Kim Min-jae was the most frequently committed player among the five European league defenders this season due to fatal mistakes (6 times) that led to runs. Sky Sports', which is recognized for its public confidence locally, is on the 19th 'Chelsea, Newcastle, and Juventus are interested in Kim Min-jae. Munich is no longer looking at Kim Min-jae as a no-sale player, he said. Munich, which has a funding issue, is expected to make money from Kim Min-jae's transfer.
Kim Min-jae, who was replaced in the early and mid-half of the second half after starting in the first leg (1-2 loss) of the European Champions League quarterfinals against Inter Milan on the 9th, the derby against Dortmund on the 13th (2-2 draw), and the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals (2-2 draw), was unable to play in the Bundesliga 30th round away match against Heidenheim on the 19th. This is the fourth time that Kim Min-jae, who played the second most in the team, was included in the replacement entry in a total of 42 games (3548 minutes), including the Cup tournament this season. There is room for protection of the Achilles' tendon, which has plagued Kim Min-jae all season, but the timing is coincident because it is right after rumors of a transfer came out.
It's still about 'interest', but the team connected to Kim Min-jae is a famous club. You can see Kim Min-jae's status in Europe. Chelsea, led by coach Enzo Maresca, are currently seventh in the Premier League, making it difficult to play in the Champions League next season, but Newcastle look forward to playing in the European Champions League next season. The two clubs have enormous financial power and can afford Kim Min-jae's high salary.
Juventus is currently in fourth place in the 32nd round of Serie A. The hope of winning has disappeared, but the possibility of advancing to the Champions League is alive. After rejecting Thiago Mota and appointing Igor Tudor last month, he switched to three-back and succeeded in rebounding with two wins and one draw in three Serie A games. Three-backs may be an unfamiliar tactic for Kim Min-jae, but it is welcome that a club with a large weight class like Juventus shows interest. Juventus knows better than anyone else that Kim Min-jae is the player who won the Defender of the Year Award for winning Napoli's Serie A title in the 2022-2023 season.
For Kim Min-jae, it is icing on the cake to take on a new challenge after winning the Bundesliga. Munich defeated Heidenheim 4-0 on the day, further solidifying its lead with 22 wins, 6 draws, 2 losses and 72 points. He is nine points behind Leverkusen (63 points), who has played one less game. If Kim Min-jae wins the Bundesliga championship, he will be the second Korean to win after Jung Woo-young (Unyon Berlin), and the first Korean to win two or more of the four major European leagues.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
