Manchester United are reportedly monitoring Kim Min-jae’s situation at Bayern Munich as Michael Carrick looks to add defensive depth ahead of a much busier season.
Manchester United are set to compete in the Champions League next season, making another centre-back a sensible squad option consideration.
Lisandro Martinez is returning from another injury, while Harry Maguire is now at a later stage of his career. Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven could have bigger roles, but adding more experience would give Carrick another option.
Kim Min-Jae has been linked with United before and remains on the club’s radar. However, Bayern Munich currently have little reason to believe the South Korean wants to leave.
Kim Min-Jae wants to fight for Bayern place
Christian Falk has provided an update on the situation and says United are still watching the defender closely.
“As I’ve mentioned with Bayern Insider previously, the South Korean international is on the list at United. They’re always looking at his situation at Bayern Munich. That said, Min-jae Kim is very clear at the moment that he wants to stay at Bayern and he’s fine with his current role at the club.”
Kim has slipped down the pecking order since Vincent Kompany took charge and isn’t currently a regular starter. That hasn’t convinced the 29-year-old to push for an exit.
“He’s not in the starting XI at the moment, but he has a chance to get there if he’s playing well and, of course, if injuries strike. So, Kim wants to see if he can push back into the team.”
That could make a potential United approach difficult. Bayern still see value in keeping the former Napoli defender, particularly with a long season ahead.
“It’s not like he’s so disappointed that he wants to force a move, and this is a very good situation for Bayern Munich, as they’re fully aware they can’t rely on just two senior centre-backs for an entire season.”
There have been reports that around £26 million could be enough to tempt Bayern into a sale, but Kim’s own preference remains the biggest obstacle.
Should United target Premier League experience?
From United’s perspective, Kim Min-Jae would certainly bring experience to a defence that could be tested heavily next season.
Martinez suffered an injury in the World Cup final and Carrick is likely to be careful with the Argentine given his history of fitness problems. Maguire’s age is another factor, while Yoro and Heaven are still developing.
But there is also a question over whether signing a defender who will turn 30 soon is the best solution.
United have had a relatively quiet period in the transfer market after bringing in Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans. Their need for another centre-back is understandable, but a younger player already accustomed to Premier League football could arguably be a more practical option.
A similar approach with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbuemo last season immediately worked for Manchester United as both the forwards eased into the team with considerable attacking outputs.
Kim’s ability is not really the concern. The bigger issue is whether he would actually leave Bayern when he currently wants to compete for his place.
For now, Falk’s update suggests Manchester United will have to wait and see how the situation develops. Kim remains on their list, but the defender appears more interested in winning back his starting spot in Munich than starting a new chapter at Old Trafford.
