Why Tottenham should make a move for Kim Min-Jae
According to Nicolo Schira (h/t Football.london), Tottenham Hotspur are looking into the prospect of bringing in Kim Min-Jae from Chinese club, Beijing Guoan, before the close of the transfer window.
Spurs have already made some value for money additions in the likes of Matt Doherty, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Joe Hart, as Jose Mourinho looks to rebuild the squad after a strong finish to last season and securing Europa League qualification.
Profile
Kim Min- Jae is a South Korean centre-back currently playing for Beijing Guoan in the Chinese Super League. Nicknamed “Monster” for his 6ft 2in frame, he started his professional career at Gyeongju KHNP in 2016. Subsequently, he moved to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
During that time, the tall centre-back broke into the South Korean national team and has managed to rack up 30 appearances so far. At the start of 2019, Min-Jae switched teams and was signed by Beijing Guoan for €4.9million. He has made 5 appearances this season, which started in August.
Do Spurs need Kim Min-Jae?
With the departure of Jan Vertonghen, Spurs look a little light in defence. Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth are the only natural centre-backs in the squad. Juan Foyth is yet to inspire confidence and Alderweireld is on the wrong side of 30.
They need a solid and young centre-back who can slowly be phased into the team. Also, with four competitions to play in the coming season, combined with a short break before the start of the season, squad depth will surely be something that Mourinho would need.
The South Korean would definitely be an option that would suit Spurs, both in the short and long term, given his age and a fair bit of experience.
He was a part of the South Korea team that won the Asian Games in 2018 but missed out on the FIFA World Cup 2018 due to injury.
Read more
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Verdict
At 23 years of age and a price tag of €15million, Kim Min-Jae represents a smart investment opportunity for Spurs. He adds depth and quality to the backline, something that’s a staple of sides managed by Jose Mourinho.
For the player, it will definitely be a huge step up from the Chinese Super League but with the right guidance (and some help from his compatriot Heung-Min Son), he can blossom into a quality defender in the league for years to come.
