A surprising transfer development could unfold at FC Bayern this coming winter. Minjae Kim has apparently caught the eye of Arsenal FC. Just ahead of their head-to-head matchup in the Champions League, the London club is considering signing the South Korean center back.
Kim is under contract with the Munich club through 2028 and has recently earned more playing time again. Under Vincent Kompany, the 29-year-old remains part of the extended starting lineup, even though Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah generally have the edge in central defense.
Now, however, there could be some movement regarding the South Korean’s future. BILD’s soccer editor-in-chief, Christian Falk, confirmed the English top-flight club’s interest on the “Bayern Insider” podcast. “Arsenal London has Minjae Kim on their radar,” the transfer insider explained.
This man is behind Arsenal’s interest
The background of the potential transfer is particularly interesting. According to Falk, Arsenal’s head of scouting, Maurizio Micheli, is playing a decisive role. The Italian already knows Kim from their time together at SSC Napoli and is considered the one who discovered him.
“He works there as the head of the scouting department at Arsenal, and he’s the one who brought Kim’s name into the mix,” said Falk.
Following Piero Hincapié’s injury, the Premier League club is apparently looking for additional defensive reinforcements. Kim could be an interesting option in that regard.
Whether concrete negotiations will actually take place, however, remains to be seen. “Whether Bayern would even let him go in the winter—that’s the big question,” Falk emphasized. The BILD reporter does not, however, consider a transfer completely out of the question.
“But I definitely can’t imagine it happening.”
BILD reporter Julian Agardi is significantly more skeptical. He can hardly imagine that Munich would let their center back go in the middle of the season.
“But I can’t imagine under any circumstances that Bayern would let him go in the winter,” Agardi explained. A key factor, he said, is Hiroki Ito’s susceptibility to injury. Kim’s departure would significantly limit the team’s options in defense.
Agardi also sees some question marks from a sporting perspective. While Kim put in outstanding performances during his time in Naples, he has so far failed to consistently reach that level at FC Bayern.
One thing is certain: According to Falk, there is interest from London. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal will actually make a move this winter and whether Bayern would be open to talks if a suitable offer were made. Most recently, reports have circulated suggesting that Bayern would, in principle, be open to a contract extension. According to these reports, club officials would like to hold initial talks with the defender during the winter break.