[p]Kim Min-jae is on the verge of completing a move to Manchester United from Napoli, as the Italian club has identified David Hancko of Slovakia as his replacement.
Reports suggest that Napoli is preparing to sign Feyenoord's talented defender as they anticipate the departure of their South Korean star.
The transfer of Kim Min-jae to Manchester United is inching closer as the Premier League club is set to activate his €50 million release clause. The central defender, who joined Napoli from Fenerbahce last summer for €18 million, has spent just one season in Italy.
According to Il Mattino, a deal with Manchester United for Kim Min-jae has been "accepted" and is scheduled to be finalized on July 1. The defender is already being referred to as "a former player".
The player has also accepted Manchester United's wage offer, which will see him earn £9 million per year at the Theatre of Dreams, equivalent to around £175,000 per week.
It appears that Kim Min-jae is United's top priority signing this summer. There are lingering uncertainties surrounding Harry Maguire's future at the club, and the South Korean defender would undoubtedly be an upgrade over the current club captain.
If the transfer goes through, it could potentially signal the end for Harry Maguire, who has been used sporadically by manager Erik ten Hag. Ten Hag has favored Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez as his preferred defensive partnership.
Kim Min-jae made 36 appearances for Napoli, scoring twice, as he played a crucial role in the club's capture of the Serie A title for the first time in 33 years.
Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain are also rumored to be monitoring Kim's movements this summer, although Manchester United has been the club most frequently linked with him.
After spending two years in the Chinese Super League with Beijing Guoan, Kim joined Turkish giants Fenerbahce for a reported fee of £2.5 million.
Napoli paid a substantial fee of £15.5 million for his services last summer and now looks set to receive a significant windfall following his impressive season in Italy.
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