Kim Min-jae has reportedly rejected a Saudi Arabian club’s offer to sign him.
On the 9th (KST), German media outlet TZ reported that “Kim Min-jae is in high demand overseas. is in high demand overseas,” and that he “turned down a Saudi Arabian club’s offer to sign him.”
According to TZ, Al Nasr, which is home to superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Sadio Mane, tried to sign Kim Min-jae, but the deal fell through. Saudi Arabia’s Al Qadisiya, which recently signed Nacho Fernandez, who played for Real Madrid and the Spanish national team, also inquired about Kim Min-jae.
“Kim Min-jae could have earned a much higher salary at both clubs than at Bayern Munich, but he turned them down,” TZ reported, adding, “A move to Saudi Arabia is not on his radar at the moment.”
Kim Min-jae was one of the best defenders in Italy during his time at Napoli. In his first season at Napoli, Kim scored two goals and provided two assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. Thanks to his play, Napoli won the Italian Serie A title for the first time in 33 years. After the season, Kim was named Serie A’s best defender.
His specialty is being aggressive and getting up the line to intercept balls from attackers. This is why he was called a “monster” and an “iron pillar” during his time at Napoli.
However, his presence at Bayern Munich was not as strong. This is because tactically, he was utilized differently than he was at Napoli.
Thomas Tuchel is a traditional tactician who uses fullbacks in a straight line. Therefore, Kim’s aggressiveness and aggression didn’t fit into the Bayern Munich defense.
The UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid was one of the most revealing. Two defensive mistakes while aggressively trying to take the ball away resulted in goals, and as the teams drew 2-2, Kim was heavily criticized. “He was greedy,” former coach Thomas Tuchel said in public, and the German media didn’t differ.
This was the reason why Kim’s transfer rumors exploded. Napoli, Inter Milan, Juventus, and Manchester United were among the clubs in need of defensive reinforcements. Inter Milan, who had been interested in Kim throughout the summer, entered the fray once again.
However, Kim’s position has changed. Unlike last season, he’s expected to play a bigger role. This is because he fits the style of new coach Vincent Kompany.
Kompany wants his team to be aggressive. He prefers a defense that approaches and takes the ball rather than waiting. In particular, he raises the defensive line high to gain possession, similar to Pep Guardiola (Manchester City). The basis for this is the speed of the central defenders, and of the four central defenders currently at Bayern Munich, Kim Min-jae is considered the fastest, followed by Dayo Upamecano.
“Kompany’s football philosophy is similar to Guardiola’s,” said Bild. Dominant and possession football, build-ups from the back, lots of movement, inverted full-backs and the goalkeeper’s involvement in (build-ups) are perfect for Bayern Munich. Kompany is 온라인카지노사이트 also considered a great communicator and supporter of young players. That’s what Bayern Munich also expect from him. In general, Kompany has a good relationship with the players. This is important in a complex locker room at Bayern Munich,” analyzes the coach.
In addition, Matthijs de Ligt has been linked with a move to Manchester United. He wants to be reunited with coach Eric ten Hach. Bayern Munich want to move the big-money player, and he wants to move teams, which means that Kim Min-jae will become even more important.
Bayern Munich has no intention of letting Kim go. “Sporting director Max Ebel and the Bayern Munich management team are (fully) planning on keeping Kim for next season,” according to German outlet TZ, “and the player wants to stay with the team.
Recent rumors of a move to Inter Milan have also been debunked. On July 7, Italian media outlet Gazzetta reported that “Inter Milan are interested in bringing Kim Min-jae back to Serie A.” The report said. “The move would be solely on loan. Especially if Stefan Duffry, whose contract expires next year, leaves the club,” the report added.
This is not the first time that Kim Min-jae and Inter Milan have been linked. Back in March, it was reported that the Nerazzurri were interested in Kim Min-jae. Gazzetta reported, “The Nerazzurri are currently in trouble at the back. Following the controversy over veteran defender Francesco Acerbi’s racist remarks, the Nerazzurri could look to reinforce their center backs in the summer, and Kim Min-jae could be a target. For Inter Milan, Kim would be a dream signing.”
The Nerazzurri have been tracking Kim since he was playing for Fenerbahce. “The Nerazzurri have been targeting Kim even before he moved to Napoli,” Gazzetta explained, “and now they can tempt him by offering him a way back to Italy, where he was the best defender in the 2022-23 season.”
Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, one of the most authoritative voices in German football, has denied the rumors of Inter Milan’s pursuit of Kim Min Jae, saying that it is “not true” and that “Kim has no intention of leaving. He wants a new start with Bayern Munich and wants to show what he can do at the club. He is also contracted until 2028,” he explained on Aug. 8.
Kim Min-jae is reportedly only thinking about staying at Bayern Munich. “According to an internal analysis, Bayern Munich needed more communication, dialog and support for Kim to play his best,” said Bild. These are things that were lacking under former coach Thomas Tuchel.”