Tottenham are among several clubs interested in signing Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae
Tottenham Hotspur have started the season well and find themselves third in the Premier League after nine rounds. The north Londoners bounced back to winning ways on Sunday by smashing Everton 3-0 away and reclaimed a spot in the top four, demonstrating progress they’ve made under Thomas Frank.
Prior to the Everton game, Spurs showed defensive vulnerabilities in the defeat to Aston Villa and goalless draw with AS Monaco. It was Guglielmo Vicario’s top show that helped his team hold out AS Monaco and escape with a point from the Principality Stadium. Cristian Romero has missed the last three games with an adductor strain, and suddenly, Tottenham have looked porous at the back, including the Everton game even though they managed to keep a clean sheet eventually.
The truth is the Lilywhites lacks a quality back-up for Romero. Kevin Danso is decent and can do a job for some games. If Tottenham intend to rub shoulders against big boys and challenge for top prizes, they must bring in a quality defender who can not only provide rest to Romero, but also challenge him for a starting spot in Thomas Frank’s XI.
Tottenham are among several clubs interested in signing Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae.
Tottenham Hotspur hold an interest in Kim Min-jae race. (Photo by Simone Arveda/Getty Images)
Tottenham monitoring situation of Bayern Munich defender
According to a report from Flashscore, Tottenham are monitoring the situation of Kim Min-jae at Bayern Munich. Chelsea, Liverpool and Juventus are also keeping tabs, but AC Milan and Inter Milan are early favourites to land the defender.
Bayern Munich signed Kim Min-jae in a €50 million deal from Napoli in the summer of 2023 following his terrific performances in Serie A. The South Korean international had established himself as one of the best defenders in Italy in just one season in Naples and won the Serie A defender of the year award in 2023, which prompted Bayern Munich to buy him. However, the 28-year-old’s time at Bayern has been up and down. He has not managed to live up to the lofty expectations of the Allianz Arena faithful thus far.
Kim Min-jae has lost his starting berth under Vincent Kompany this season. Jonathan Tah, having arrived on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, has formed a strong partnership with Dayot Upamecano in central defence, pushing Kim to the periphery. With just two Bundesliga starts thus far, the defender’s Bayern future has been plunged into doubt.
The report adds Bayern would want to recoup as much as the €50 million they splashed on Kim’s services next year. As things stand, a move away from Bavaria next summer seems more realistic than a January departure.
Tottenham are among several clubs interested in signing Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae.
Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are a solid partnership for Tottenham Hotspur.
What should be Tottenham’s play?
Signing Kim would help to solve Tottenham’s defensive issues without weakening Frank’s options elsewhere. At 28, the South Asian star is at the peak of his powers and would immediately enhance Spurs’ squad depth. He possesses the quality and pedigree to challenge Romero and Van de Ven for a starting spot, whilst being a reliable back-up to the former.
Squad management is vital when competing in multiple competitions, and Frank will know the value of adding players who tick both the footballing and logistical boxes. If Tottenham can get Kim on a reasonable fee, it would be a smart, forward-thinking move that strengthens the squad without disrupting the long-term project. The ex-Napoli man would also help the club tap again into the South Korean market, with the central defender having been an icon back in his nation.
That said, the Lilywhites must give their all to land the Bayern defender in 2026