Man United have edged their noses ahead in race to sign £52m star.
Manchester United are leading the race to sign Kim Min-jae, despite competition from elsewhere, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano exclusively revealed to GIVEMESPORT.
Kim is subject to plenty of interest from across the continent, but Romano expects United to formalise an offer for the defender in the coming weeks.
Manchester United transfer news – Kim Min-jae
After an impressive first season in charge, Erik ten Hag is reportedly keen to build on the foundations he’s already laid at Old Trafford by reinforcing his squad this summer.One of United’s primary targets is Kim, who according to reports has been being tracked by the Red Devils’ recruitment team since before the World Cup.
As per a story by 90min, United are keen to sign the South Korean defender from Serie A champions Napoli when the transfer window opens later this year.
How much they might end up paying for Kim could vary though, with the report stating his release clause worth £38 million doesn’t become active until later in the window.
Instead, it’s suggested that United could tempt Napoli to let Kim leave earlier, should they present the Italian outfit with an offer in the region of £52 million.
Of course, that would mean putting a heavy dent in ten Hag’s summer transfer kitty, with other targets in different positions still of interest to the Dutch manager.
However, with centre-back earmarked as a clear area for improvement this summer, Romano expects United to be pushing hard to get the deal confirmed.
What has Fabrizio Romano said about Kim joining United?
Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano believes United are currently in pole position to land Kim’s signature.
On the prospect of the 26-year-old joining, Romano said: “United know that they are ahead of the other clubs for Kim, because they started this process in October and November. So Man United remain interested in Kim.
“It’s very clear that the release clause is only available in July not in June, so at the moment the clubs can’t do anything to sign the player.”
Who else is in the mix to sign Kim this summer?
As alluded to by Romano, United can expect plenty of competition for Kim’s services, with the Napoli defender highly rated across the European game.
Interestingly though, some of United’s sternest competition could come closer to home, as Newcastle United are reported to be interested in the centre half.
According to a report by UOL Esporte, Newcastle are willing to match United’s offer for the defender, with the Magpies now also having Champions League football to offer their targets.
Should Napoli demand a bidding war for Kim, it’s likely Newcastle’s riches would trump that of United’s, meaning wrapping the deal up as soon as possible could be of use to the Red Devils this summer.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amos Murphy
(562 Articles Published)
Freelance writer for GiveMeSport, covering Premier League and European football transfer rumours. A graduate in Sports Journalism, I’ve covered football across the continent for a number of years, from Champions League to non-League and everything else in between. Follow me on Twitter – https://twitter.com/AmosMurphy_ And on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amos-murphy-012a93147/ Or view my portfolio instead – https://amosmurphy.co.uk/portfolio
