A couple of weeks ago, a £43 million centre-half who was reportedly at the top of Manchester United’s defensive wishlist last summer spoke out about his lack of game time at the club he would join instead during that very same transfer window.
But on last night’s evidence, it is easy to see why the former Red Devils target has found game time relatively hard to come by in 2024.
It’s also hard to imagine that he will be keeping his place when Bayern Munich travel to Real Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final next week, fitness permitting.
The narrative surrounding Kim Min-Jae, not so long ago, was that Bayern’s gain was very much Manchester United‘s loss. The Red Devils missing out on a man who, during Napoli’s glorious Serie A winning campaign, had gone some way to justifying former coach Luciano Spalletti’s belief that he was ‘truly the best centre-half in the world‘.
Did Manchester United get a lucky £43m mistake
Flash forward to the present day, and Kim is not even the ‘best centre-half’ at Bayern Munich.
His reputation damaged, perhaps irreparably, his his role in the humiliating defeats to Eintracht Frankfurt, Heidenheim, Bochum and fourth-tier Saabrucken in the German cup, Kim would probably have started on the bench against Real had Matthijs de Ligt not been ruled out through injury.
Thomas Tuchel, himself linked with a move to Old Trafford, must now be praying that De Ligt recovers in time to travel to the Spanish capital, Kim finding himself wildly out of position for Real’s opener at the Allianz Arena before gifting Vinicius Jr a late brace via the penalty spot.
“He made the first move too early against Vinicius in the first goal and got caught by Toni Kroos’ pass. He speculated and was too aggressive,” blasted Tuchel, the German’s post-match filleting of Kim’s performance perhaps sending a shiver down the spine of those United players he could be coaching at Old Trafford next season.
“In the second goal, unfortunately, it was another mistake. We were five against two, we had the numbers. There was no need to defend that aggressively against Rodrygo. Unfortunately, with (Real Madrid’s) quality, these mistakes get punished.”
Kim blamed for Bayern Munich’s Real Madrid draw
That, in truth, has been the story of Kim’s Bayern career so far, the South Korea international developing the same ‘bozo gene’ that has chipped away at Dayot Upamecano’s reputation at a time in which Eric Dier – bizarrely – feels like Tuchel’s most reliable defender.
“If it wasn’t for the centre-half defending like a 14-year-old, (Bayern) would have won the game,” a stunned Danny Murphy told talkSPORT, the former England international laying the blame at Kim’s door for Real’s late fightback in Bavaria (1 May, 10am).
“Basics. Absolute basics. Unbelievable. What a poor performance.”
While Man United fans continue wonder wistfully what might have been had Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got his wish – Declan Rice, Rasmus Hojlund and Jude Bellingham all slipped through his fingers – Kim at least feels less like one-that-got-away for his Old Trafford successor Erik ten Hag and maybe a £43 million mistake dodged.
