Manchester United's summer shopping list appears to have a distinctly South Korean flavour. Word from Germany, as exclusively passed to GoalZaza, sugg...
Manchester United's summer shopping list appears to have a distinctly South Korean flavour. Word from Germany, as exclusively passed to GoalZaza, suggests that Kim Min Jae, the 29 year old Bayern Munich centre back, is very much 'on the list' at Old Trafford. Christian Falk, a name synonymous with insider intel on the Bundesliga, has indicated that the Red Devils are keeping a very close eye on the defender. But here is the rub: the same report strongly suggests that a move to Turin and Juventus feels far more plausible right now.Let us consider the player himself. Kim Min Jae is a defender described in the Bundesliga as "very powerful," and that label sticks. He is not merely a bruiser; he reads the game with an intelligence that belies his relatively short time at the very highest level. For a United side that has at times looked alarmingly vulnerable when the low block is breached or when transitional play catches them cold, adding a footballer of Kim's tactical flexibility could be transformative. It would give Erik ten Hag a left sided centre back who can step into midfield and break lines with a pass, something that has been lacking since Lisandro Martinez's injury woes.Yet we must ask the question: why would the South Korean international swap the Allianz Arena for a rebuild at Old Trafford when Champions League football looks increasingly uncertain Juventus offer Serie A stability and a clear pathway to being a mainstay. At 29, this is likely Kim's last major contract. He will want guarantees of game time and a system that suits his aggressive, front foot defending. United have been guilty of throwing money at problems without a coherent plan, and a fee for a player of Kim's calibre would be significant. There is also the small matter of Bayern's reluctance to let a key asset go after just one season. The German champions rarely do business that weakens their own squad unless a silly offer comes in.For the United fan base, this is the kind of transfer that offers real hope. A dominant, experienced international who has proven himself in both Italy and Germany. But we have seen this film before. The transfer window is a theatre of broken promises and missed targets. If Ten Hag wants to build a defence that can stop conceding soft goals, Kim Min Jae is a name to watch. But the smart money, according to the whispers GoalZaza has heard, remains on Juventus. The next few weeks will tell us if the allure of the Premier League can sway a player who might just be the missing piece in United's defensive jigsaw. Squeaky bum time for the recruitment team at Carrington.
