Kim Min-Jae made a ‘good choice’ when joining Bayern Munich despite reported interest from Premier League giants Manchester United, according to former Napoli team-mate Leo Ostigaard.
The extent of Manchester United’s interest in the South Korean colossus may have been a little overblown – various publications in Italy wide of the mark when claiming that Kim Min-Jae was bound for Old Trafford – but there is no doubting that one of Europe’s best centre-halves would have come in very handy under Erik ten Hag.
Especially considering the defensive injury crisis Ten Hag has been forced to contend with of late, Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire starting together against Brentford prior to the international break.
Kim swapped Napoli for Bayern Munich instead, the Bundesliga champions triggering the bargain £43 million release clause in his contract. And, as far his Napoli successor is concerned, Kim is better off at the German giants than he is a Manchester United side who continue to lurch from crisis to catastrophe with more regularity than the cast of Coronation Street.
Manchester United were linked with Kim Min-Jae
“No one here is happy with his departure. He is a great person and we miss him,” one-time Brighton and Hove Albion man Ostigaard tells Transfermarkt.
“He had a great opportunity. Apparently, he could decide between Manchester United and Bayern Munich and, in the end, he opted for the Bavarians.
“It was a good choice.”
This is not to say, however, that Kim has enjoyed a faultless, error-free start to his life in Germany. The one-time Everton and Tottenham Hotspur target – the spine of a Napoli team who claimed their first Scudetto in three decades last term – was given the runaround during a recent 2-2 draw with Bundesliga title-rivals RB Leipzig.
‘Struggling’
“Kim didn’t shine against Leipzig, struggling against (Lois) Openda,” Bayern and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus told Sky Sports.
“He brings a factor of uncertainty for Bayern. I have nothing against the player. But he has not yet lived up to expectations, given what he did while he was in Italy.”
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