In what has become an extremely frustrating transfer saga, Manchester City have joined Manchester United in the race to sign Kim Min-jae.
This is what Corriere dello Sport are reporting on Wednesday, seemingly completely forgetting that Bayern Munich have also been at the South Korean’s door for the past week.
In their eyes, the choice from July 1st, when his release clause becomes active, will be to either join Manchester City or Manchester United, having to choose between Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag.
It’s recalled the Red Devils ‘moved in advance’, starting the process of enquiring with the Napoli defender’s entourage ‘well before the end of the season’.
Manchester United ‘legitimately tried to get a glimpse’ of what they would need to convince the towering defender to move to Old Trafford and ‘presented a substantial financial proposal’ of around £7m/year.
Not only that, but they were ‘not afraid’ of having to pay Napoli €58m for the player, a fee considered a ‘pittance at certain levels’.
However, they know that closing such a deal is not easy, as the prospect of avoiding direct talks with Aurelio De Laurentiis is attractive to many clubs, including Manchester City.
Fresh from their Champions League win, Pep Guardiola and co. want to ensure their dominance doesn’t fade after one season, and that’s why Erik ten Hag ‘fears’ a prank from the blue side of the city.
With Manchester United currently ‘held back by the sale of the club’, Manchester City have a window of opportunity.
While the centre-back ‘seemed destined’ for Old Trafford, the Etihad club know that Guardiola ‘is a factor and his sexy football has a value that goes beyond any economic considerations’.
Manchester City ‘need a defender who will allow Guardiola to defend the Treble’, and that’s why Corriere believe it’s ‘Manchester or Manchester’ for Kim at this moment in time.
