Manchester City are eyeing up Napoli defender Kim Min-Jae as a potential addition to their backline this summer. The South Korean centre-back has been on the radar of several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, but City have now joined the race for his signature.
With Pep Guardiola looking to strengthen his defence ahead of the new season, Kim could be the ideal candidate. The 26-year-old’s release clause is just £40m, making him a relative bargain in today’s transfer market, especially considering his impressive performances over the past year.
Even though Man City already have an impressive array of centre-backs, including new signing Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akani and Nathan Ake, the addition of Kim could be a game-changer. Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti has even gone as far as calling him “the best centre-back in the world,” which will only add to his appeal.
Kim’s passing abilities could be particularly helpful in a Guardiola system, as he ranks in the 97th percentile for passes attempted in the past year and the 88th for his pass-completion rate per 90. This kind of precision and accuracy would be a valuable asset to Man City’s defence.
While it remains to be seen whether a deal for Kim will materialize, it’s clear that Guardiola and his team are not resting on their laurels and are determined to improve ahead of the new season. With Premier League title rivals also keen on the defender, it could be a closely-fought transfer battle this summer.
