Newcastle United look to ‘hijack’ Manchester United deal for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae
Premier League rivals Newcastle United are looking to ‘hijack’ Manchester United in their pursuit for Napoli star Kim Min-jae, according to talkSPORT (h/t Manchester Evening News).
The Red Devils have been linked with a move for the South Korea international ahead of the upcoming transfer window. As things stand, the centre-back is tied down to the Serie A giants for a couple more years.
However, his deal includes a £42 million release clause. To that end, the Old Trafford side’s head coach Erik ten Hag is ‘particularly keen to activate’ it.
However, the Partenopei want to keep a hold of the 26-year-old. They have received no bids so far. But the Italian outfit have offered him fresh terms. But it remains to be seen where the former Fenerbahce star’s future lies.
Min-jae made his way to Napoli last summer. He has immediately caught a lot of people’s attention after being pivotal to the Naples-based club’s Scudetto win in the 2022/23 campaign.
Newcastle are flying high under Eddie Howe. The Magpies finished third in the English top flight this season and are set to play Champions League football. They have the likes of Sven Botman and Fabian Schar in their backline.
As for Man United, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have formed a solid partnership at the Old Trafford side since Ten Hag’s arrival. The Dutch manager has mostly relied on the two in defence.
As a result, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have fallen down the pecking order. Our captain has especially lost his influence in the team, with Luke Shaw starting ahead of the former Leicester City star in the centre-back position on a few occasions.
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Therefore, it is not implausible to think that the Red Devils might lose depth at the back this summer. In that case, someone like Min-jae is a decent option to have our eyes on. But will Newcastle present a challenge to the Manchester-based club in the pursuit for the South Korean? Only time will tell.
