BY G9IJA
Manchester United are pressing ahead with talks over a summer move for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae alongside their ongoing pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong, according to reports. The Red Devils are thought to be keen on strengthening at the back in advance of next season, with their defensive fragilities having been exposed on multiple occasions over the course of the current campaign.
United’s latest failure to keep a clean sheet came against West Ham United over the weekend, with Said Benrahma’s fortunate early goal claiming all three points for David Moyes’ side at the London Stadium. It seems as though Erik ten Hag is looking to accelerate his bid to improve United’s back four as a priority in the wake of the fixture, with things said to be moving quickly behind the scenes in terms of player recruitment.
The Red Devils are in ‘advanced talks’ over a move for Kim, according to Tuttomercatoweb, while it was revealed earlier this week by Sportbild that discussions have also taken place regarding the capture of Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen. Napoli are thought to be resigned to losing Kim in spite of their recent Serie A title triumph, with United planning to activate his release clause of around £43million by as early as June.
Kim has excelled since joining Napoli from Fenerbahce over the summer and is keenly admired by those in power at Old Trafford, although United are unlikely to be the only club in the battle to secure his signature when the campaign draws to a close. Liverpool and Tottenham have also been keeping a close eye on the defender’s recent progress, according to Calciomercato, which suggests that a three-horse race could emerge when the transfer window re-opens next month.