Juventus market, Kim Min-jae may return to Italy

From Serie A to the Bundesliga and, perhaps, back again. In a little more than two years, Kim Min-jae’s parable could come full circle in a surprising way.

The South Korean defender, the absolute star of the 2022-23 Italian champion Napoli and then flown to Bayern Munich thanks to a 57 million euro rescission clause, has never really found space in Germany. Today, his name is back in the news for Juventus.

After a star season in Italy Kim gradually eclipsed in Munich. Between fierce competition from Upamecano and Tah and a feeling never born with the German context, the “monster” (so nicknamed for his physical strength and toughness in duels) slipped to the fringes of the rotations. Just 6 season appearances and 326 total minutes: too little for a player in the prime of his career.

Juventus, which has to deal with Bremer’s long stop (expected to undergo a new knee surgery), evaluates Kim’s profile as a possible winter reinforcement to armor the rearguard. The Bianconeri club is following him closely, although the operation would not be simple or cheap. The €9 million net salary is the main obstacle: a difficult wall for Italian coffers to break down.