Kim Min-jae’s move to Bayern Munich appears to be imminent.

Transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano tweeted on the 29th (KST), “HERE WE GO,” a phrase that is often used when a transfer is about to become a reality, “Munich has reached a verbal agreement with Kim Min-jae. Personal terms have been discussed and a five-year contract is being prepared. According to a Munich source, Kim Min-jae has accepted Munich’s offer. He will sign a contract until 2028.” The transfer fee is reportedly £42 million.

Kim was Napoli’s biggest hit last season. He was dominant in defense, but he was also praised for his forward movement and build-up play. He helped Napoli dominate the league and win the Scudetto (Serie A trophy) for the first time in 33 years. He also led the club to its first ever UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. Named to the Serie A Team of the Year, Kim was also named the league’s best defender, beating out Theo Hernandez (AC Milan) and Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli) for the honor.

It was only a matter of time before his salary skyrocketed. From July 2022 to June 2023, Kim Min-jae’s price tag rose by a whopping 46 million euros (about 64.4 billion won), and now stands at 60 million euros (about 84 billion won). The increase is staggering. When he was first in Jeonbuk, he was valued at 1.2 million euros (about 1.6 billion won). Then, when he was in Beijing, his price went up a bit, and his last valuation at Fenerbahçe was €14 million (about KRW19.5 billion). When he joined Napoli, he was valued at 35 million euros (about 490 million won) and finally at 60 million euros. That’s a 50-fold increase in price in just five years.메이저사이트

He ranks eighth among all center backs in the world. First among South Korean players, ahead of Son Heung-min. First among Asian players. Kaoru Mitoma (€32 million), Daichi Kamada (€27 million), Takefusa Kubo (€25 million), Mehdi Taremi (€18 million), Harry Sauter (€15 million), Sardar Azmoun (€12 million), and other great AFC players are all below him. It’s even more impressive considering he’s a center back.

Munich has made a move for Kim Min-jae. Munich had an embarrassing season in 2022-23, narrowly winning the German Bundesliga title. After conceding an early lead to Union Berlin, the Bavarians faltered and lost the lead to Dortmund, which led to the sacking of head coach Juergen Nagelsmann.

Expectations were high when Thomas Tuchel arrived, but back-to-back exits from UCL and the German Football Association (DFB) Pokal left heads hanging. They nearly lost the Bundesliga title to rivals Dortmund. With Dortmund falling short to Mainz, Munich finished in first place and won the title. It was their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title. They finished with the same number of points as Dortmund, 71, but won the title on goal difference.

It was the hardest trophy to lift in the Bundesliga in recent memory. Despite winning the title, the Bavarians are looking to make major changes this summer. The plan is clear. They’ve set their targets, identified their resources for sale, and are executing their plan step by step after the summer transfer window opens.

First, we’re looking to change the defense. It was solid enough to lead the Bundesliga in fewest goals conceded last season. They also have some big-name center backs in Dayot Upamecano, Matthijs de Licht, Benjamin Pavard, and Luca Hernandez. Still, the team hasn’t been competitive in the UCL, and some of the players are prone to injury, so they’ll be spending money to build a stronger defense.

Photo by Fabrizio Romano

For now, the club is set to part ways with several players. Hernandez is one of them. Hernandez is headed to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). “PSG are close to signing Hernandez,” Romano reported on July 27. The talks between the clubs have entered the final stages. The final details will be discussed shortly and then it will be finalized. The personal terms are 100% agreed. Hernandez wants to move to PSG.” Hernandez’s replacement will be Pau Torres.

“As Hernandez gets closer to joining PSG, we continue to keep an eye on Torres,” the statement continued. “Munich’s priority target is Kim Min-jae. Personal terms are close to being agreed in two weeks.”

Munich’s prioritization of Kim has been aggressive, with a deal already in place. According to Fabrice Hawkins of France’s RMC Sport, “Kim will sign a five-year contract with Munich, earning €17 million a year. The agent’s commission will be 15 million euros (about 21.5 billion won).”

Now it’s down to Romano’s “HERE WE GO”. Even though he is still in training, it seems that Kim Min-jae’s side and Munich have finished talking. An official announcement is expected almost immediately after he leaves the training center.