July 18, (THEWILL) – Bayern Munich have officially announced the signing of South Korean centre-back, Kim Min-Jae, from Napoli.
Kim emerged as one of Europe’s premier defenders last season after playing a pivotal role in leading Napoli to Serie A triumph and subsequently attracted significant interest from several clubs. Although Manchester United had been actively pursuing Kim, protracted negotiations regarding personal terms allowed Bayern to intervene and finalise an agreement last month. The German club exercised Kim’s €50m release clause, ensuring the completion of the deal.
As part of this transfer, Kim will assume the position vacated by Lucas Hernandez, who recently joined Paris Saint-Germain for a comparable fee. Kim, at 26 years old, has experienced a meteoric rise from relative obscurity to becoming a household name in the world of football. His journey began in his homeland, where he honed his skills until 2019. Two years later, Kim made his way to Europe, signing with Fenerbahce in a €3m transfer.
Following an impressive season in Turkey, Napoli brought him to Naples for a significant €18m. However, after just a year, Kim finds himself on the move once again, this time to the Allianz Arena of the serial Bundesliga champions. The transfer fee involved in this deal has catapulted him into the ranks of the most expensive defenders in history.
Kim’s arrival bolsters Bayern’s defensive capabilities, adding further strength to an already formidable squad as they seek to maintain their dominance both domestically and in Europe next season and beyond.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
