Eric ten Hag has a number of centre-backs at his disposal, such as Lisandro Martínez, Raphaël Varane, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelöf, Phil Jones and Teden Mengi. However, Lindelöf is not a regular starter, Jones has been out due to injuries since May 2022, and Mengi is still inexperienced, so Calciomercato reports that United are looking to acquire another centre-back. Kim Min-jae is reportedly on their shortlist, having had a successful debut season at Napoli, making 30 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and providing one assist. Napoli are currently top of Serie A, with the best defence in the league, and Min-jae is second in the squad for tackles per game (1.7) and first for interceptions per game (1). With Phil Jones’ contract expiring in the coming months and Lindelof possibly not wanting a squad rotation role, United may be left with only three first-team central defenders and Mengi. Min-jae has a €48 million (£42m) release clause, but United only have two weeks to sign him for that price, so they must act quickly. If they wait, Napoli will have the upper hand in negotiations, as the defender is contracted until 2025 and they won’t be obligated to sell early or for a low price.
Manchester United have been linked with signing centre-back Kim Min-jae from Napoli, as manager Eric ten Hag looks to strengthen his defence.
Min-jae has had a successful debut season at Napoli, making 30 appearances and scoring two goals. He is currently second in tackles per game (1.7) and first for interceptions per game (1). Napoli are currently top of Serie A and have the best defence in the league.
With Phil Jones’ contract expiring in the coming months and Victor Lindelof probably not wanting a squad rotation role, United may only be left with three first-team central defenders and Teden Mengi if they don’t bring in a replacement. The release clause on Min-jae is €48 million (£42m) with only two weeks to trigger it, so United must act fast if they want to sign him. That said, Napoli are under no obligation to sell early or for a low price, so United will have to throw big money if they want to complete the deal.
Ten Hag is keen to strengthen United’s defence and Min-jae looks to be the perfect fit. His performances this season have been impressive, and at only 24-years-old, he is still maturing and has room for improvement. With the transfer window rapidly closing, United have to act quickly to secure the signing of Min-jae and bolster their defence for the rest of the season.
