The position of South Korean center back Kim Min-jae is under threat as Bayern Munich’s defense is undergoing a major upheaval.
“Hiroki Ito is just the beginning,” German media outlet TZ reported on Friday (KST). Bayern Munich is probably planning drastic changes to its defense,” the German media outlet reported on Friday.
“We have signed Stuttgart defender Hiroki Ito,” Bayern Munich announced on the club’s official website on June 14, adding, “Ito has signed a contract with Munich until June 30, 2028.”
Japan international Ito was a key center back for Stuttgart, who finished second in the Bundesliga this season, ahead of Munich. His performances helped Stuttgart finish second in the league in 2023-24 and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 14 years.
Munich, who were impressed with Ito’s performances, moved quickly to secure his signature and on Thursday signed him to a contract until June 2028. The base transfer fee paid to Stuttgart is reportedly €23 million, with an option to increase it up to €28 million.
The addition of Ito brings the number of center backs in Munich’s first team to five. The Bavarians have used four center backs this season – Kim Min-Jae, Dayo Upamecano, Matthijs Duricht, and Eric Dier.
With five center backs, at least one is expected to leave the team this summer in search of playing time. At the same time, Munich are in the market for another center back, so it’s possible that the number of defenders leaving the team will not be limited to one.
German Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, who is well versed in Munich news, tweeted on Friday that “Jonatan Tah wants to join Bayern Munich now. It’s a done deal!” he wrote on social media.
Born in 1996, German defender Jonatan Tah is a key center back for Bundesliga champions Leverkusen in the 2023-2024 season. Tah’s performance helped Leverkusen not only win the Bundesliga title for the first time in the club’s history, but also become the first team to go undefeated in the Bundesliga.
According to Plettenberg, Munich are currently in talks with Leverkusen for the Bundesliga’s top center back. “Jonatan Tah wants to join Munich,” he said, “but an agreement between the clubs is currently not in sight as Bayer Leverkusen are still demanding a huge transfer fee. The negotiations are in the early stages.”
“If an agreement is not reached this summer, Tah will leave Leverkusen as a free agent in the summer of 2025.” Tah’s contract with Leverkusen runs through June 2025, meaning he has just one year left before it expires.
“With the arrival of Hiroki Ito taking some of the pressure off, Munich is taking a stress-free and strategic approach,” he said, adding, “Tah is already ready to sign a contract (with Munich) until 2029.”
If Ito joins Tah, Munich’s center back competition will be 안전놀이터 even more intense. At least one center back is expected to leave this summer, with Dutchman Diricht currently the most likely departure.
Plettenberg confirmed on the 11th that “Derrikht is the favorite to be sold by Munich this summer. It was decided last week and I confirm it again.” “It’s a surprising decision. “It’s a surprising decision, but Munich needs revenue and Dirichlet was on the market. In addition, Munich wants to save his high weekly wages. His contract runs until the summer of 2027.”
Coincidentally, Manchester United, managed by his former coach at Ajax, Erik ten Haag, is reportedly one of the clubs interested in signing the Dutchman. Platenberg also confirmed United’s interest, saying, “It is understood that the Red Devils are keeping a close eye on the situation of Mateusz Durich.”
However, German outlet TZ believes that Derrikht will not be the only one to be released. “Munich have secured Stuttgart center-back Hiroki Ito, but that shouldn’t be the only change,” the publication said, adding that “the Bavarians, led by Vincent Kompany, are set to completely overhaul their defense, especially in central defense.”
“According to Sky Sports reporter Kerry Howe, two center backs could leave,” he said, “If Derrikht get a good offer, there shouldn’t be any obstacles. Dayo Upamecano, who has made a lot of mistakes this season, could also leave, but Kompany is known to like Upamecano.”
If Kompany prefers Upamecano’s style and wants him to stay, it is possible that Kim Min-jae, who joined the club last summer, could be on the transfer list after a year.
Regardless of whether he stays or goes, the media outlet predicts that there will be no place for Kim in Munich’s new defense. They expect Jozua Kimmich, Jonatan Tah, Hiroki Ito and Josip 실시간 바카라사이트 Stanisic to form Munich’s starting back four under Kompany.
Croatian fullback Stanisic has been in fine form this season after joining Leverkusen on loan, helping them to an undefeated Bundesliga campaign. Now, Munich are reportedly planning to tie him down for the long term by signing him to a new contract.
After joining Munich from Napoli in the Italian Serie A last summer, Kim Min-jae established himself as the first-choice center back for the Bavarians in the first half of the season, but in the second half of the season, he lost out to Dyer and Derrikht in the competition for the starting role and was relegated to the bench.
With the departure of Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season and the arrival of Kompany, some expected Kim to make the leap back into the starting lineup, but Kompany brought in Ito as a new center back as soon as he arrived, and he’s not satisfied with just one, he’s looking for more.
Unlike Dülich, there are no concrete transfer rumors about Kim Min-Jae yet. However, with no place for Kim in Munich’s newly revamped backline, it will be interesting to see where he goes this summer.