Bayern Munich has completed the signing of South Korean defender Kim Min-jae from Napoli, with a reported transfer fee of 50 million euros ($55 million). The Bundesliga powerhouse announced on Tuesday that Kim has signed a five-year contract, running through June 2028, and will wear the No. 3 jersey.
The signing of Kim comes as Bayern Munich sought to strengthen their defense following the departure of Lucas Hernández to Paris Saint-Germain and uncertainty surrounding Benjamin Pavard’s future. Pavard’s contract with Bayern expires next year, and he has expressed his desire to leave the club.
“He impresses with his physical presence, as well as his mentality and speed,” Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen stated. “We’re pleased he can immediately take part fully in preseason and firmly believe that he will also excite our fans with his style of play.”
Kim Min-jae was named the best defender in Serie A last season after helping Napoli win their first league title in over 30 years during his debut season. He featured in all but three of Napoli’s 38 league games and contributed two goals. Kim joined Napoli from Turkish club Fenerbahçe the previous summer for a reported fee of around 18 million euros ($20 million).
The 26-year-old defender’s career has seen a rapid rise, starting with K-League teams Gyeongju KHNP and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in South Korea before moving to the Chinese Super League’s Beijing Guoan in 2019. After spending three seasons in China, he joined Fenerbahçe for a single season before his move to Napoli.
Kim is expected to form a central defensive partnership with Dutch international Matthijs de Ligt, who arrived at Bayern Munich from Juventus last year. Bayern reportedly took advantage of a clause in Kim’s Napoli contract to secure his signing this summer.
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