Kim Min-jae's transfer to Manchester United is about to be finalized after credible sources in the Italian media indicated that a blockbuster deal from Napoli was "practically done."
During his first season in command, United manager Erik ten Hag has lifted the team out of its slump. If they can defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup final, they will have already won the Carabao Cup, and a second trophy may be on the way. A top-four finish will also allow the club to bring Champions League football back to Old Trafford, which is more significant.
At United, preparations are already under way for another historic summer of moves. And to further cut the gap on the Premier League elite, Ten Hag is reportedly trying to bolster every area of the field with at least three marquee signings.
The United manager will, in fact, put a lot of emphasis on improving the offense. The Red Devils may recruit two new strikers, according to Saturday's Transfer Gossip, as Anthony Martial is reportedly ready to depart with Wout Weghorst.
However, Ten Hag is allegedly trying to improve his defensive options before finalizing any striker deals. And while Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have cemented their positions as the team's first-choice center backs, their backup choices are still very much up in the air.
To that purpose, the club has already announced that Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones will leave this summer.
Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, and club captain Harry Maguire are all still under investigation, which could leave United without backup. However, Kim seems to have the key to a solution.The South Korean has had a fantastic year, helping Napoli win the Serie A for the first time in 33 years.
In substitute of Kalidou Koulibaly, who transferred to Chelsea, he was brought in for the summer. And Kim has exceeded all expectations since moving, rapidly becoming one of the top defenders in Serie A.
However, during two weeks in July, an exit provision in his gives suitors the option to wrest him away for a comparatively low price.
According to reports this week, United are prepared to trigger this and may even pay Napoli more than that price to secure the transfer early.
Although the player's representatives later refuted these accusations, credible allegations in Italy have already resulted in an important development.
Additionally, a deal to transfer Kim to Old Trafford is reportedly "practically done" and will go through "regardless of Napoli's will," according to Il Matino.
They assert that the transfer is so far off that the 26-year-old has already acquired himself a villa in the picturesque Cheshire village of Alderley Edge, despite acknowledging his agent's reservations.
They further assert that Kim and United have reached a contract worth €9 million a year, or almost £150,000 per week, even though United and Napoli have not even had a formal meeting to negotiate the transfer.
That, though, seems to be rather moot given Napoli's helplessness to stop United from activating his clause.
United apparently hopes to incorporate Lindelof as a makeweight and reduce the fee in order to reduce expenditures.
They assert, however, that a furious Aurelio De Laurentiis, president of Napoli, will reject the proposal and, at the very least, ensure that United pay the full amount for the release of his star defender.
Il Matino are confident that the transaction will go through, and the only remaining question is when Kim will sign with United as opposed to whether he will.
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