Napoli defender Kim Min-jae is ready to secure a move to Manchester United when the transfer window opens this summer, according to Corriere dello Sport (page 12).
The South Korea international has had an excellent debut season with Napoli in the Italian top-flight but he looks likely to leave the club at the end of the campaign.
He currently has a €58 million foreign release clause in his contract. Corriere dello Sport report that he is preparing to fly to Manchester United when the transfer window opens.
Napoli have identified Atalanta star Giorgio Scalvini as his replacement. The Serie A champions are prepared to spend part of Min-jae’s fee to purchase the Italian.
Min-jae would be an outstanding signing
The 26-year-old has been on United’s radar since his time in the Chinese Super League and it now appears they are keen on landing his signature this summer.
Min-jae joined Napoli with a glowing reputation and he has been tremendous for them in Serie A. This season, he has completed an impressive 91 per cent of his passes.
The former Fenerbahce star has also registered 1.6 tackles and 3.6 clearances per game. He has also caught the eye with his strong aerial presence in the box.
Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have been the first-choice picks for manager Erik ten Hag in central defence but the former has been injury prone.
Min-jae could be seen as a strong competitor. He could eventually become a regular starter. He is in the prime of his career and has excellent ball-playing ability.
In the current transfer market, €58m (£50m) could be seen as a bargain fee for a quality defender of Min-jae’s calibre. He could be a key player for five seasons at least.
United may have to wait until July 1 to sign Min-jae, considering his buy-out clause does not become active until then. The clause will be valid between July 1 to 15.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
