Manchester United have reached a deal to recruit Kim Min-Jae, with the terms of his move revealed, Real Madrid is about to raid Chelsea for one of their most expensive signings ever, and Tottenham is close to acquiring a new £35 million goalkeeper, according to Monday’s Transfer Gossip.
KIM-MIN JAE AGREES TO MOVE TO MAN UTD
Manchester United are on the verge of completing their first summer signing after agreeing to meet the €60 million (£51.6 million) clause in Kim Min-jae’s contract.
The South Korean has had an outstanding season with Napoli, who won the Serie A title. Stepping into the shoes of Kalidou Koulibaly, the 26-year-old has established himself as one of the top defenders in the Italian league.
As a result, Erik ten Hag has named Kim one of his top targets for Manchester United this summer.
And il Corriere dello Sport (04/06/2023, page 3) reports that a deal to move him to Old Trafford is ‘done’.
United has told Napoli that they will fulfill the full buyout in his deal, which becomes active on July 1 for 15 days.
Meanwhile, United is laying the framework for the deal by arranging a series of meetings with the player. And, according to reports from Italy, Kim is ready to make the move, having told Napoli of his desire to do so.
This week, United will undertake a new round of discussions with Kim and his representatives. He will have to go through a medical exam and have the paperwork signed and sealed. However, due to conditions regarding his release clause, the agreement will most likely not be made official until July 1.
Kim is said to have signed to a four-year contract worth £150,000 per week, keeping him at Old Trafford until the summer of 2027. United will also have the option to extend the contract for another year.
Kim Min-Jae has joined Manchester United.
Kim will arrive at Old Trafford seeking to put pressure on United’s first two center-halves, Raphael Varane, and Lisandro Martinez.
Martinez was injured towards the conclusion of the season, and Victor Lindelof partnered with Varane in the last weeks. And the Swede has done enough to suggest he is deserving of a spot in the lineup.
As a result of Kim’s capture, United will now actively pursue Harry Maguire.
With Kim’s arrival, the United skipper will drop to fifth in the pecking order. That certainly makes his position untenable, especially as an £80 million signing.
It’s unclear where he’ll finish up, though Manchester United could use him as a pawn in their pursuit of Mason Mount from Chelsea.
Tottenham are also apparently interested, however, United will likely only receive a fee of approximately £30 million, representing a £50 million loss.
However, in Kim, United will be acquiring a genuine quality central defender. He completed 73 passes each game on average, with a 91% accuracy.
His true strengths, though, are in preventing opponents from passing through him. He wins an average of 1.6 tackles, 3.5 clearances, and 4.6 duels per game.
In addition, he wins 63% of his aerial duels, giving him the ideal physique for the Premier League.
