Prior to the summer transfer window, Manchester United sent scouts to observe Kim Min-jae, a center-back for Napoli.

Kim Min-jae might join United in the summer.
The weekend saw the arrival of an in-form Aston Villa to Old Trafford, and Erik ten Hag’s team was able to pick up three crucial points.

The Red Devils were able to secure the victory and keep their spot inside the top four thanks to a goal from Bruno Fernandes in the first half.

United still trail Newcastle United, led by Eddie Howe, by two points in the standings, but they do still have a game in hand.

With only six games remaining, they still have a strong chance to qualify for the elite European competition after being forced to play in the Europa League this season.

And with a new center-back seemingly on the menu, it appears that the Red Devils are already deliberating their options ahead of the summer market.

Kim, a defender from Napoli who earns £53k per week, is reportedly catching United’s eye, according to reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano, who made the claim while speaking on his YouTube channel:

(5:00) “Kim Min-jae, a center-back for Napoli, is one of the players they value. In the summer of July, he has a release clause that is slightly less than €50 million (£43.9 million) in value.

Napoli is attempting to change the release clause and extend this contract, though. So let’s wait and see how the discussion with Kim and Napoli turns out. However, Man United has dispatched scouts to Kim on multiple occasions.

Would Kim Min-jae give United an improvement?
With Napoli poised to win the Serie A championship for the first time in 23 years, the South Korean has had an outstanding season.

The chance to do so over the weekend was there, but the South Korean will have to wait since his team could only manage a draw against Torino.

Kim has been referred to as a “monster” by journalist Jason Lee on Twitter, and it is easy to understand why given that he ranks in the top 12 percentile for successfully won aerial duels (via Fbref).

Given that he ranks in the top 11 percentile for progressive passes and carries, the 26-year-old is also obviously a gifted ball-playing center-back.

But if he were to join United in the summer, would he strengthen the team’s defence?

Varane-Man-United-Premier-League-Kambwala
Despite representing the best team in Serie A this season, Raphael Varane has been outdone by Kim in terms of tackles per 90 minutes (source: Fbref).

Compared to Varane (0.76) and Lisandro Martinez (0.77), he has also produced more shot-creating actions (1.09 per 90).

Kim’s availability for a move this summer, however, is still in doubt given that contract talks may be in the works.

And with a strong starting backline already available to Ten Hag, it is possible that United could allocate their funds elsewhere over the summer.