Manchester City “readying a bid” for Napoli’s star defender
By Sachin Bhat
Manchester City are reportedly eyeing a move for Napoli’s defender, Kim Min-jae.
The Sky Blues boast a terrific squad right now and remain in contention for a treble of the Premier League, Champions League and the FA Cup this season. However, they refuse to rest on their laurels and look to bolster their options ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
Min-jae has caught their attention and according to Spanish news outlet Fichajes.net, Manchester City are readying a bid worth about €60 million for the Korean star in the next transfer window as Aymeric Laporte could leave Etihad for Camp Nou with Barcelona having the Spaniard on their radar.
A centre-back by trade, the 26-year-old joined Napoli last summer from Turkish side Fenerbahce on a €3 million transfer, and instantly established himself in the club’s backline.
Helping them to 16 clean sheets in 33 top-flight appearances, Min-jae played an instrumental role in guiding the Partenopei to the Serie A title, their first in 33 years.
Strong in the air and possessing an excellent awareness, Min-jae bolstered Napoli’s defense with top-notch displays, while also contributing two goals and assists each, a testament to his offensive skills. He also boasts a passing accuracy of 90.8% and averages 3.6 clearances per game in the league.
Considering all this, it won’t be an exaggeration to suggest that Min-jae has been one of the best signings of the season in the Serie A.
If he’s able to maintain this form going into the next season, not only would Manchester City face more competition for the player, but Napoli could increase their asking price too.
Fichajes.net also reported that Manchester United are keen on the Korean international too. With Raphael Varane too injury-prone and Harry Maguire not completely reliable, the Red Devils are looking to beef up their defense and have identified Min-jae as a panacea to their defensive woes.