Reporter Lee Won-hee | 2023.06.12 11:00
The transfer mood of monster defender Kim Min-jae (27, Napoli) seems to have changed. Instead of a move to Manchester United, which seemed promising, Newcastle quickly emerged as a candidate for the next destination.
France’s GFFN quoted a report from Foot Mercato on the 12th (Korea time), “As the pace of negotiations between Min-jae Kim and Man Utd slows down, Newcastle, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) may aim to sign him. .” “During the last few weeks, Min-jae Kim, Man Utd negotiations ran into trouble. Man Utd initially considered Kim Min-jae as the top recruitment candidate, but negotiations were slow, so the door was opened to other interested clubs.” Meanwhile, there are rumors of a transfer for Kim Min-jae to Manchester United has heated up. There were also local media who made a hasty prediction, saying, ‘Kim Min-jae is going to Manchester United this summer’. However, unlike the initial transfer rumours, there is no news that talks have progressed significantly regarding Kim Min-jae’s transfer to Manchester United Instead, negative news is pouring in.
A few problems arose. First of all, Manchester United’s player reinforcement plan is not going as expected due to the club’s takeover problem. In addition, British media outlets such as the Metro and Court Offside reported that Manchester United ‘back-up centre-back’ Harry Maguire preferred to stay despite a lack of playing time. Man Utd must get rid of Maguire before recruiting Kim Min-jae. This is because Maguire receives a high weekly salary of 200,000 pounds (about 330 million won). This is the same level as Tottenham ace Harry Kane’s weekly wage. It is not easy to recruit new players for the same position in a situation where there is a financial burden. Even selling is difficult. Maguire prefers to stay, and other teams are hesitant to recruit him because of his high salary. Maguire recorded the highest transfer fee of 78.3 million pounds (about 127 billion won) in the defense sector in 2019 and wore the Manchester United uniform. Man Utd cannot take a huge loss and sell Maguire at a bargain price. For information, Maguire’s contract expires in 2025. Depending on the circumstances, an option to extend the contract for another year is included.
Also, Man Utd’s target is also changing. Man Utd also send a love call to Axel Disassi, who is active in AS Monaco in France along with Kim Min-jae. Disassi, a French national, is considered a top-class center back in Ligue 1. He is durable enough to lead the team’s defense by participating in all 38 league games this season. He was also only 25 years old. Last year, he was selected for the French national team for the World Cup in Qatar and took part in three matches, helping France to finish second in the tournament. According to European transfer journalist Fabricio Romano, Disassi also reportedly wants to move to Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Newcastle, the ‘club for the very rich’, is making an active appearance in recruiting Kim Min-jae. GFFN said, “Newcastle have emerged as a potential destination for Kim Min-jae over the past few weeks. Newcastle have made significant progress in signing Korean star Min-jae Kim. The demands of regular playing time and the potential of becoming a key member of Newcastle’s defense has piqued Kim’s interest. Removed,” he said. Newcastle are desperate to sign Kim Min-jae. The team’s main centre-back, Fabian Char, is already 32 years old, and it is time for a generational change. There aren’t many centre-back options throughout the team. He is expected to step onto the European Champions League stage for the first time in 20 years after finishing 4th in the league this season, but strengthening the centre-back is a vital element in building a squad suitable for this.
On the other hand, fierce competition is inevitable at Manchester United. This is because they have world class centre-backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. Man Utd News, which mainly deals with Man Utd news, said on the day, “Man Utd should not lose Kim Min-jae. He passes quickly and is an active defender.” he emphasized. Manchester United paid huge transfer fees and brought in Baran and Martinez. It takes a bold decision to bench.
Other clubs are also looking for opportunities. GFFN predicted, “Chelsea and PSG are also aiming for Min-jae Kim. Both clubs have closely checked Min-jae Kim’s performance, and the negotiations are in silence and they can gain an advantage.” Chelsea’s main centre-back, Thiago Silva, turned 38, and Kalidou Koulibaly, who was recruited ambitiously last year, was pushed out as a reserve member after a long slump. With the recent appointment of new coach Mauricio Pochettino, we intend to create a new force. PSG also have problems with their defence. Nordi Mukielle and Fresnel Kimpembe suffered from frequent injuries this season. Danilo Pereira, originally a midfielder, also took over at centre-back. The problem was so serious that 18-year-old centre-back El Shadeyu Biciaby played 13 league games. In addition, veteran midfielder Sergio Ramos left the team at the end of this season as well.
<저작권자 © ‘리얼타임 연예스포츠 속보,스타의 모든 것’ 스타뉴스, 무단전재 및 재배포 금지>
