Didn’t mention Kim Min-jae by name, but acknowledges signing is finalized
Thomas Tuchel, the head coach of German professional soccer’s Bundesliga club Bayern Munich, has hinted that the club is close to signing “monster defender” Kim Min-jae.
“I won’t say the name publicly because of the negotiations, but it’s not a big secret who is coming,” Tuchel said at his official press conference ahead of pre-season on Friday (Sept. 15).
Earlier, Munich had identified Kim Min-jae as a replacement after losing defender Luca Hernandez to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG-France).
Kim, who starred in Italy’s Serie A last season, leading Napoli to their first league title in 33 years, has been linked with a move to Munich.
Several local media outlets have reported that Kim has signed a contract with Munich until 2028, with an estimated after-tax salary of 12 million euros ($17 billion).
Kim, who returned to South Korea last month and completed basic military training earlier this month, is currently on vacation after undergoing medical tests in South Korea.
Kim received military service benefits for his gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang.
Munich have reportedly paid Napoli a buyout (minimum transfer fee) for Kim Min-jae, and the final paperwork for the transfer is underway.
In the meantime, Tuchel, the Bavarians’ head coach, did not directly reveal the name of the player, but he admitted that the deal was close to being finalized.
“We have decided that the new player will be able to fill Hernandez’s shoes,” Tuchel said.
The announcement of Kim’s signing could come as early as next week.
The Bavarians will begin preseason training on Sept. 15 before 고스톱 embarking on an Asian tour of Japan and Singapore on Sept. 24.