Italian media outlets are reporting that Juventus’s head coach, Luciano Spalletti, is eager to bring former Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae to the club this summer.
Spalletti and Kim enjoyed a successful partnership at Napoli, culminating in the club’s Serie A triumph in the 2022-23 season, their first league championship in over three decades and since the era of Diego Maradona.
Following their championship season, Kim was transferred to Bayern Munich after the German club activated his release clause, reportedly exceeding €50 million, making him the most expensive Asian footballer in history.
Since his move to Bayern nearly three years ago, the 77-cap South Korean international has found it challenging to secure a consistent starting position. Throughout the majority of the 2025-26 campaign, he has often played second fiddle to defenders like Jonathan Tah and Dayot Upamecano under manager Vincent Kompany.
According to information from Fabrizio Romano, as cited by Calciomercato.com, Spalletti would “gladly” pursue Kim for Juventus in the upcoming transfer window. Given their proven track record together in Serie A, Spalletti is considered to be in a strong position to persuade the former Napoli defender to join him in Turin.
Kim will have two years remaining on his contract with Bayern Munich when the summer transfer window opens. However, the Bundesliga club is expected to demand a significant transfer fee, with reports indicating a valuation in the region of €40 million.
It is also likely that Kim would need to accept a salary reduction if he were to move to Juventus. Calciomercato suggests his current gross annual salary is approximately €16 million, which equates to just over €8 million net per season.
