In the recent focus of the transfer market, a piece of news about a strategic change in the defensive end has come to the fore: AC Milan are poised to challenge Juventus and Napoli in an attempt to reshape the front with a surprise transfer deal. The campaign is not only targeting a new generation of players with unlimited potential, but also those who once shined on the field and are now expected to be reborn, such as Jeffrey Moncada and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who are pushing ahead of the new season with a recruitment plan to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.
Focusing on AC Milan's camp, Kim Min-jae's name is prominently listed, and the South Korean defender is quietly becoming the new focus of the San Siro Stadium, citing a report from LaPresse, revealing a hint of surprise to come.
George Flani has repeatedly stressed in the hours that the transfer market will be very different this summer than last year. Milan's decision-makers want to maintain the stability of the team while making targeted reinforcements for various positions. With Olivier Giroud's departure, there is a desperate need of fresh blood in the forward line, while strengthening the midfield and defender positions is key, especially after the challenges of this season, and finding a defender who can turn things around is all the more important.
It is well known that the name of Alessandro Buangiono was written on the list of Milan defensive reinforcements, but negotiations with Torino were quite difficult. Although the defender has a whopping €50 million price tag in the winter transfer window and is now likely to change hands at a relatively low price, it still needs to be matched with the right tactical system and personnel.
At the same time, Milan have also set their sights on Lacroix and Blasier, whose contracts expire in 2025, both of whom are worth no more than 20 million euros and are expected to land at the San Siro in the transfer market.
And among the many rumors, the name Kim Min-jae is like a magic trick. The 27-year-old South Korean international Kim Min-jae has faced a highly competitive team environment since signing a long-term contract with Bayern Munich, but there is no shortage of possibilities for a return to Italian football. Especially at the end of the current season, speculation about Kim Min-jae or farewell to Bayern Munich has intensified, and Juventus and Napoli have expressed interest in rebuilding their backline after a sluggish season.
The 27-year-old can go on loan to Italy with the option to buy, but his salary needs to be reduced from €8.5 million, which is too high for everyone.
Born in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea, Kim Min-jae is known for his excellent centre-back skills. Starting from Gyeongju Water Supply, he then joined Jeonbuk Hyundai and made a name for himself in the K-League, receiving numerous honors. Then he moved to the Chinese Super League Beijing Zhongbo Guoan and Turkey Fenerbahce until he joined Serie A powerhouse Napoli in 2022 and quickly won the Serie A Player of the Month award. In the summer of 2023, Kim Min-jae landed at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich for a transfer fee of 50 million euros. In the league this season, he made 21 appearances, starting 19 of them, contributing one goal and one assist, showing excellent defensive quality.
It is worth noting that Bayern Munich have always held a high opinion of a number of players in the AC Milan squad such as Theo Hernandez and Mike Maignan and even showed keen interest in rising stars such as Pierre Kalulu and Fikayo Tomori. In this delicate pattern of player interaction, Kim's future is full of suspense, and once Bayern Munich chooses to let go, then he is very likely to become a key pawn in AC Milan's defensive line, and achieve a "coup" that can change the history of transfers.