Manchester United told £43m ace is the ‘perfect’ summer signing

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Manchester United are keen on Napoli’s Serie A champion Kim Min-Jae and one former Premier League scout believes the South Korea international is ‘perfect’ for English football.

What’s not to like?

Outstanding in the air, positionally impeccable, quick, strong and technically-gifted. If you could custom-build the perfect centre-half, the end result would look quite a bit like Kim Min-Jae.

He combines the raw defensive instincts of Raphael Varane with the progressiveness of Lisandro Martinez. And, with a £43 million release clause in his contract, this feels like an opportunity too good for Manchester United to miss.

Manchester United keen on Napoli’s Kim Min-Jae

“Kim to United? At Everton, we already had all the videos of him. In England, they have noticed him for some time,” Carlo Jacomuzzi, who scouted the former Fenerbahce colossus during his time at Goodison Park, tells Radio Marte.

“He stood out in Turkey. After winning the Scudetto with Napoli, the Korean has shown that he has reached an enviable level of play. He knows how to do a bit of everything, and we like him in England.

“He’s perfect for the Premier League. Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool looks like him, so to speak.”

Kim is known as the ‘Korean Van Dijk’ for a reason; his 6ft 3ins frame and pinpoint passing range making the 26-year-old one of the most complete, all-round central defenders anywhere in the sport.

Luciano Spalletti, the coach who guided Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years, describes Kim as the ‘best defender in the world’.

Fabrizio Romano, however, is playing down reports suggesting that Kim has agreed a move to Old Trafford.

“Kim Min-Jae (has been) on Manchester United’s list since December. But nothing is agreed or decided at this stage,” Romano writes on Twitter.

“Man United are interested. Napoli are still offering Kim a new deal.”

Kim currently has a very affordable release clause in his Partenopei contract. United have until June 15^th to trigger it, however, and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the ownership situation – Sir Jim Ratcliffe in pole position but the Glazers very much still in situ – is a distraction Ten Hag could probably do without.