Liverpool and Bayern Munich seem to want each others’ players - could a big-money swap deal take place?
Liverpool are already set to piece together one of the most expensive transfer windows in Premier League history – but even with deals agreed for Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong and with Milos Kerkez widely expected to sign soon, could they still find space to throw a big-money swap deal into their summer business?
That’s one possibility that may emerge as two transfer stories collide. On the one hand, there’s a claim from German journalist Florian Plettenberg that Bayern Munich are interested in Cody Gakpo, among other players, as they search for a left winger. On the other, there’s a story from TeamTalk which hints at a possible bid for centre-half Kim Min-Jae, with Bayern debating whether to replace him after a rocky season. Could the two come together – and would a swap deal represent good business?
Why Liverpool may want Kim Min-Jae – and why Bayern Munich might sell him
Liverpool were linked with a bid for South Korean defender Kim after he won the Scudetto with Napoli two years ago, but in the end the 28-year-old made a move to Bayern, becoming the most expensive Asian player in history in the process.
Now, however, his place in the German champions’ squad is under threat. While Kim continued to demonstrate all of the qualities that made him such a desirable signing all season, he also threw in an unusually high number of costly mistakes – slips and misplaced passes directly cost Bayern six goals in the Bundesliga and Champions League in 2024/25.
While that’s not a statistic that will impress many Liverpool supporters, it’s also atypical for a defender whose combination of strength, aerial dominance, positioning and precise passing make him a potentially perfect signing for sides that are not only looking for defensive solidity but also centre-backs who can get the ball downfield quickly and accurately.
There is also interest from Saudi Arabia. Al-Nassr have been linked with a bid for Kim by a number of outlets, and could well outgun Liverpool financially – so if they are interested in striking a deal, then using a player like Gakpo as a makeweight would certainly make sense.
From Liverpool’s point of view, signing another centre-half may be a necessity. There is doubt over the future of Ibrahima Konaté, who has just one year left on his deal, a number of rumours suggesting that Jarell Quansah could leave, and Virgil van Dijk isn’t getting any younger.
Kim could, therefore, be the sort of high-class addition that Liverpool need to maintain their hold on the Premier League title next season – the only debate is whether the expensive ricks he has made over the course of the season (along with some question marks over his ability to defend against explosive ball-carriers) are likely to be a persistent problem, or were an aberration.
Certainly, Kim’s overall statistical output and general play remained exceptional, and he has never previously been regarded as particularly error prone. He is also perhaps unfortunate that every single mistake he made which led directly to a shot resulted in a goal. That’s the kind of bad luck that can tilt perceptions of a player’s performances quickly and unfairly.
Could Cody Gakpo leave Liverpool this summer?
The other half of the debate, of course, is whether it makes sense to sell Gakpo in order to make such a deal work – or whether they should let the Dutchman leave regardless should Bayern come calling.
Plettenberg’s reporting suggests that a number of players are on Bayern’s shortlist, with Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma and AC Milan’s Rafael Leão also specifically mentioned. It may well be that they focus on an alternative target and that a bid for Gakpo never materialises. But Liverpool may consider one if it does.
Gakpo has been a qualified success since arriving at Anfield from PSV Eindhoven three years ago. 41 goals in 128 games is a fine return for a player who operates just as happily on the left wing as he does as a number nine, but there are flaws to his game.
While his rapid movement and knack for finding space make him a real headache for defenders, he is less technically adept than most of the players with which he is competing for a starting spot and is below the statistical average for forwards in the ‘big five’ leagues in terms of his passing, dribbling and ability to beat defenders one-on-one.
Given that Liverpool also have Diogo Jota and Luis Díaz on the books – not to mention the incoming Florian Wirtz, who can also play on the left or as a false nine if needs be – it’s fair to argue that while Gakpo is a fine player, he isn’t necessarily essential. A top-level centre-half may be judged a better addition to the squad.
Much may hinge on whether Liverpool succeed in offloading the much-maligned Darwin Núñez and in finding another forward to take his place. If the latter doesn’t happen, then Gakpo is likely too important to sell, but there is a chance that he could become effectively surplus to requirements if additional attacking reinforcements arrive.
The fact that Mohamed Salah could miss up to a month of the season thanks to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations could weigh against the idea of letting Gakpo leave, and there is certainly no sense or urgency at Anfield around the idea of selling him, but it could be that other priorities are seen as more important than keeping the Dutchman around.
Much will also depend on the finances involved. Kim may be a record-breaking signing, but Gakpo is a couple of years younger at 26 and Bayern would perhaps have to tilt the deal in Liverpool’s favour financially. The price involved – Gakpo is under contract for three more years – could price Bayern out anyway, especially with other (likely cheaper) options on their radar.
All of this is built on speculation, as it stands. If Liverpool retain an interest in Kim, they have not yet made a move to do anything about it, and Bayern are waiting for Williams’ transfer decision before choosing which alternative to pursue should they have to. But don’t be entirely shocked if two players make surprising moves between the English and German champions this summer.
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