Newcastle are showing interest in signing South Korean defender Kim Jae Min after Manchester United identified the defender as a target for next season.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has identified Kim Jae Min as the player he would love to sign to play center back with Sven Botman.
The South Korean defender has a release clause in his contract that will be activated on July 30, 2023, and the Newcastle manager is ready to activate it.
Howe caught the attention of Kim Jae Min after the defender helped Napoli win its first Scudetto title in 33 years in his first season at the club.
The Magpies are also interested in building their squad for the Champions League next season.
Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag is looking forward to strengthening his defense ahead of next season with the addition of Kim Jae Min.
However, the manager has to fend off interest from Premier League side Newcastle.
It was reported that Manchester United had already identified a house for Kim Jae-min ahead of his move to the club.
The Red Devils have informed the South Korean defender that he is going to play an important role next season, given that four Manchester United defenders are likely to leave the club.
Last season’s stats showed Kim Min Jae was the player with the second-highest tackle rate behind Manchester United right back Aaron Wan Bissaka.
If Manchester United sign the defender, it will be difficult for attackers to go through him next season.
Kim Jae Min Stats
The defender has made 221 appearances with six goals and three assists. He has received 33 yellow cards and two red cards.
Out of the six goals scored, three were for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, two for Napoli, and one for the Turkish giant Fenerbahce.
For his national team, South Korea, the defender made 57 appearances and scored three goals.
Kim Jae Min Trophies
He won the Italian Scudetto title with Napoli. Kim won two South Korean titles with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
One East Asian title and the Asian Gold Medal with South Korea. He is likely to win more titles in the future with another club.
Kim Jae Min’s age and height
He was born on November 15, 1996, in the city of Tongyeong, South Korea. He is currently 26 years old. The defender is a little bit tall, with a height of 1.90 m (6 feet and 3 inches).
Kim Jae Min’s Salary
He receives a weekly salary of €61,731 and an annual salary of €3,210,000. He is one of the highest-paid South Korean defenders in Europe.
Kim Jae Min’s market value and net worth
His current market value is around €50 million due to his first-season performance at Napoli. As of 2023, the South Korean defender had a net worth of $8 million.
