May 17, 2023 10:09
Kim Min-jae of Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli is highly likely to transfer to Manchester United in the English Premier League, according to European media.
British newspaper the Daily Mail said on Monday that Manchester United is "closing in on the signing of" Kim.
"Manchester United are reportedly poised to sign the Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae. The 26-year-old [Korean] centre-back has enjoyed an excellent season as Napoli ended their 33-year wait to win the Serie A title. That has led to widespread interest in Kim but reports in Italy suggest Erik ten Hag's United will win the race," it added.
It cited the Naples-based outlet Il Mattino as reporting that it is only a "matter of sorting out the details" and Napoli are looking for replacements.
The transfer fee for Kim has been estimated at 52 million pounds, which is more than double the highest transfer fee among Asian players in the EPL of 22 million pounds set by Son Heung-min when he moved to Tottenham Hotspur from German club Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.
Manchester United manager ten Hag has been frustrated this season by frequent injuries to the team's center-backs including Raphaël Varane and Lisandro Martínez, which explains his eagerness to take Kim to Old Trafford.
If Kim joins Manchester United, he will be the second Korean player to do so after football legend and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors director Park Ji-sung, who played for the club from 2005 to 2012.
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