Ji-Soo Kim is likely to return to Brentford this summer if 1. FC Kaiserslautern don’t secure promotion to the Bundesliga.
Fussball Transfers report that the 21-year-old centre-back is looking likely to head back to the Bees, but his future beyond that is uncertain.
Brentford loan arrangement
The website explains that the loan deal between Brentford and 1. FC Kaiserslautern for Ji-soo Kim includes an obligation for the German side to buy the centre-back.
However, that obligation is dependent on promotion to the Bundesliga. However, the 2. Bundesliga side do not have such an option to buy if they are not promoted this season.
Given they are currently seventh in the table and 15 points behind leaders Schalke after 30 games, promotion is very unlikely to happen. They’re also 12 points behind second placed Paderborn and nine behind Elversberg in third.
Thus, the clause for Ji-soo Kim won’t be activated and everything ‘strongly points’ towards a separation. What happens after that point, remains to be see.
Brentford contract until 2027
Ji-soo Kim’s current deal with Brentford only runs until 2027. That means a decision has to be made about his future this summer.
A permanent sale is likely if he’s not in Brentford’s plans. They could also loan him out again, but he’d need to sign a new deal at the club before that could happen. FT speculate that him remaining in Keith Andrews’ squad as an option hasn’t been ruled out yet.
All options are, reportedly, still on the table. What won’t be happening, it seems, is a permanent move to 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Their loan clause only qualifies if they’re promoted, and that won’t be happening.
So, it appears that the South Korean will be heading back to London this summer. What happens beyond that point is yet to be determined.
