Arsenal are plotting an ’emergency’ move to sign Bayern Munich misfit Kim Min-jae in the January transfer window, according to reports in Germany.
Kim joined Bayern from Napoli for €50million (£43.5m) back in 2023 – a fee that made the central defender the most expensive Asian footballer in the history of the game.
The 29-year-old has gone on to make a total of 122 appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga giants, helping the club win two Bundesliga titles, two German Super Cups and the DFB-Pokal.
However, injury problems allied with fierce competition for places have meant Kim has failed to establish himself as a regular starter at the heart of Vincent Kompany’s defence, with Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah both ahead of the South Korean in the pecking order.
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As a result, Kim has been limited to just two starts for Bayern in the German top flight this term and speculation has been mounting that the former Napoli centre-half could soon be on the move in search of a fresh challenge elsewhere.
According to German newspaper Bild, Kim and Alphonso Davies are both ‘on the verge of leaving Bayern’ and Arsenal are pursuing the latter as an ’emergency’ winter signing.
Piero Hincapie is expected to be sidelined for a number of weeks with an ankle injury and the English champions are said to be ‘hunting’ Kim as a target as they scour the market for possible reinforcements.
William Saliba has also been out of action since the World Cup due to a back problem and Arsenal chiefs are making contingency plans in case the squad suffers any further setbacks, keen not to leave themselves short at the back for the second half of the season.
It’s claimed Kim’s name has been ‘brought into the mix’ by Maurizio Micheli, the defender’s former ‘mentor’ at Napoli, who now works as Arsenal’s head of scouting.
It’s suggested Bayern may be open to the prospect of selling both Kim and Davies in order to boost funds for potential squad additions in January.
However, a winter move for Kim is still deemed ‘unlikely’ at this stage and on top of this, the report adds there are question marks over his suitability for Premier League football.
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Kim’s current contract at the Allianz Arena is not due to expire until June 2028.
Reports emanating out of Germany in the summer indicated Chelsea were eyeing a move for Kim and had ‘knocked on the door’ to gauge the South Korea international’s possible availability.
The likes of Tottenham, Manchester United, Aston Villa, AC Milan and Inter Milan have also been credited with a strong interest in Kim in the past.
Despite finding himself on the periphery of Bayern’s squad, Kim has repeatedly been the subject of glowing praise from Kompany in recent months.
‘I had many situations last season where I thought: maybe now is the right moment to speak with Kim,’ Kompany said when addressing the defender’s limited playing time.
‘Sometimes I spoke with him, sometimes I left him alone. In every situation he reacted correctly and gave everything in training and on the pitch.’
On Kim’s character and popularity in the dressing room, the Bayern boss added: ‘People don’t even know that he also has an incredible sense of humour.
‘It’s really true. Whenever a player is standing next to Kim, they start laughing.
‘That is perhaps the side of him that people don’t know.’
Bayern’s director of sport Max Eberl, meanwhile, lauded Kim as one of three ‘world-class’ centre-backs within Bayern’s group.
‘Now there are three clear centre-backs, all three world-class, you simply have to say that,’ Eberl said of Upamecano, Tah and Kim.
‘I think quite a few clubs are envious of us for the quality of these three players.’
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