Newcastle United have entered the race to sign Kim Min-Jae. Newcastle United is trying to ‘hijack’ Kim Min-jae, who was initially expected to move to Manchester United.
“Newcastle are ready to hijack Manchester United to sign Napoli’s Kim Min-jae this summer,” the Express and The Sun reported on Aug. 8 (KST).
The report went on to say, “Kim Min-jae would prefer a move to the Premier League. While United remain the favorites to land him, Newcastle are also keeping tabs. His agent held talks with the board at Newcastle’s final home game of the 2022-23 season.”
Kim joined Napoli ahead of the 2022-23 season, and within a season, he had taken the Serie A scene by storm. He was never outclassed in physical competition, and his defensive abilities, including tackles and interceptions, were impressive. In addition, his speed, buildup, and forward movement made him the epitome of a modern center back. Thanks to Kim, Napoli surged ahead of the pack from the start of the season and won the Scudetto for the first time in 33 years.
The accolades poured in. During the season, he won the Serie A Secretariat Player of the Month award in September and the Italian Footballers’ Association Player of the Month award in October. At the end of the season, he was named Serie A Team of the Year and Serie A Best Defender. The best was yet to come.
This led to offers from the English Premier League (EPL). In particular, Manchester United was strongly linked. On the 7th of this month, Daniele Longo, a reporter for Italy’s Calcio Mercato, a highly reliable source on Kim Min-jae transfers, said, “Kim Min-jae is close to joining Man United.” Longo had correctly predicted Kim’s move to Napoli last summer. In addition, according to Italy’s Corriere dello Sport, an official announcement will be made as soon as the transfer market opens in July, and it is expected to sign a 4+1 year contract. As such, a move to United seemed likely.
But when Newcastle entered the picture, the tide changed. Newcastle had been tracking Kim Min-jae alongside United for some time. Earlier, European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano said, “Newcastle have been sending scouts to watch Kim over the past few weeks. United are interested, but the door is always open.” 스포츠토토
Multiple British media outlets have suggested that Newcastle will attempt a “hijack”. Given the power of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund (PIF) Oil Money, a weekly wage and a €50 million ($70 billion) buyout wouldn’t be out of the question. The prospect of playing in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) next season, like United, is also attractive.
For now, with United and Newcastle in strong contention, it’s down to Kim’s choice.