EPL: Napoli star Kim Min-jae has accepted to join Manchester United

Kim Min-jae is now set to join Manchester United as Napoli has identified Slovak centre-back David Hancko as his replacement.

The Serie A side are reportedly ready to recruit Feyenoord’s promising defender in anticipation of losing their South Korean star.

Kim Min-jae’s transfer to Manchester United is edging ever closer with the Premier League side set to pay his €50 million release clause. The Napoli Central defender has only been in Italy for one season having joined from Fenerbahce last summer for €18m.

According to Il Mattino, a deal with Manchester United has been “accepted” for Kim Min-jae and will be completed on July 1. The defender is already being considered “a former player”.

The player has also ‘accepted’ the Reds’ offer in terms of wages. Min-jae is set to pocket £9m a year at the Theatre of Dreams, which works out at around £175,000-a-week.

Again, this feels like Kim is arguably United’s top priority signing this summer. There are still doubts about Harry Maguire’s future at the club, with the man from South Korea a definite upgrade on the Reds’ current club captain.

His arrival at Old Trafford could spell the end for Harry Maguire. Maguire has been used in a bit-part role under boss Erik ten Hag who has settled on Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez as his first-choice defensive pairing.

Kim clocked up 36 appearances for the Neopolitans, scoring twice on their way to winning the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years.

Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain are also believed to be monitoring Kim’s movements this summer but United have been mostly linked with him.

Following a two-year stint in the Chinese Super League with Beijing Guoan, Kim signed for Turkish giants Fenerbahce for around £2.5 million.

Napoli splashed out £15.5m for his services last summer and are now set for a windfall after his impressive season in Italy.