On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, South Korean defender Kim Min-jae, who was voted the best defender in the Italian league last season while playing for Napoli, joined the German team Bayern Munich on a 5-year contract until 2028.
Bayern Munich announced the signing on Tuesday.
German newspapers reported that Bayern Munich activated the release clause in the defender’s contract with Napoli, which was estimated at around 50 million euros.
Min-jae comes to strengthen Bayern Munich’s defense, which is expected to undergo significant changes in the coming weeks and until the end of the summer transfer period.
French international left-back Lucas Hernandez left Bayern Munich and joined Paris Saint-Germain for about 40 million euros.
It is also expected that the other French defender Benjamin Pavard, whose contract with Bayern Munich expires on June 30, 2024, will leave the club after announcing his decision not to renew, Bayern does not want to lose him for free next season.
Min-jae joins Bayern’s defense alongside Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt, Frenchman Dayot Upamecano, and newly signed Portuguese left-back Raphael Guerreiro, who joined on a free transfer from Borussia Dortmund.
Min-jae’s first European experience was with Turkish club Fenerbahçe before joining Napoli in 2022 to fill the gap left by the departure of Senegalese international defender Kalidou Koulibaly.
Min-jae established himself as a key player for Napoli and played a significant role in helping his team win the domestic league title after a 33-year drought.
