FC Bayern is apparently about to sign Napoli central defender Min-jae Kim. According to information from the transfer expert Fabrizio Romano Munich is said to have now agreed on contract details with the South Korean – so an offer was accepted until 2028. “Sky” recently reported that Kim could earn 10 million to 12 million euros gross per season on Säbener Straße.
Market value of Min-jae Kim
When it comes to transfers, there are different information from Italy. It is certain that Kim had an exit clause built into the contract for his EUR 18 million transfer from Fenerbahce to Naples in the summer of 2022, which, depending on the source, is between EUR 50 million and EUR 60 million. With the Serie A champions, where he is under contract until 2025, he most recently earned EUR 2.5 million net per season and would therefore more than double his salary if he moved to Säbener Straße. In Germany, 10 million to 12 million euros gross correspond to around 5 million to 6 million euros net per year.
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For comparison: Bayern central defender Dayot Upamecano (24), Matthijs de Ligt (23) and Lucas Hernández (27), who is about to be transferred to PSG, are said to earn around 16 million euros gross. Benjamin Pavard (27), who does not want to extend his contract until 2024 and could also face a change, has reportedly received around 8 million euros per season since his transfer in 2019.
Bayern goal: What makes Naples’ Min-jae Kim so strong?
A lynchpin in Napoli’s defence, Kim has made his mark in Italian football thanks to his remarkable physical traits and ability to put opposing strikers under pressure. “They call him ‘the monster’ because he’s a physically imposing centre-back known for his rough and tough style of play,” explained Jatin Dietl, Transfermarkt’s area manager for Italy. “But he combines this characteristic with his tendency to advance with the ball and a good technique (for a defender).” In the last market value update he was rewarded with a plus of 10 million euros to 60 million euros, which he is one of the top 10 most valuable central defenders in the world. Manchester United in particular is said to have competed with the people of Munich in courting him,
Performance data from Min-jae Kim
At 1.90m, Kim may not be the greatest defensive specialist in Serie A, but he more than makes up for that with his game intelligence. The 26-year-old is also not among the top 25 professionals in the league when it comes to the number of aerial duels attempted, but is in the top 15 in terms of the percentage of tackles won in this category. This, coupled with the fact that he’s also ranked in the top 10 for interceptions and blocks, underscores that he’s usually in the right place at the right time. “Kim has the qualities of a modern defender, attacks very high and tries to anticipate the ball,” emphasizes Dietl. “If I had to choose just one adjective to describe him, I would say: reliable.”
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