Kim Min-jae (27, Bayern Munich) does not let down his guard. He is worried. He will be called to the Korean national team for the Asian Cup. Kim Min-jae will be absent in January. Bayern Munich is agonizing over how to fill the void left by Kim Min-jae. All of its efforts are focused on recruiting defenders in the January 2016 winter transfer market.
However, Kim does not let his guard down. Rather, he is worried.
Bayern Strike magazine reported on the 27th that “Bayern Munich has a major player departure in January. There is no Nusair Mazraoui and Eric Maxim Chupo-Moting, and above all, Kim Min-jae cannot participate. There is a transfer to the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup national team,” adding, “Bayern Munich is having a hard time. However, Kim Min-jae was worried that he could be pushed out of the main competition when he returned to his team.”
In an interview with local media, Kim Min-jae said, “I have to leave my position at Bayern Munich during the Asian Cup. If Dayot Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt perform well during this period, they will probably become a defensive duo. If other players perform well when I am away, they can continue to be trusted. This is an inevitable reality. I have to keep competing and performing well after my return.”
The media outlet said, “Thomas Tuchel’s choice of center back was simple so far. Due to the injury of de Licht and Upamecano, Tuchel made it easy for him to choose center back. It is also interesting to see how the competition among the three highly rated center backs progresses.” However, he added a clue. “It would be unless the two center backs (Upamecano and De Licht) are separated due to injury.”
Kim Min-jae’s concerns are likely to be unfounded. First of all, Kim Min-jae’s performance is competitive. He is showing the highest level of performance this season. In addition, he has perfectly established himself as a built-in center back.
Matthijs de Licht is not in his right form due to injury. Now I’m preparing to return, but I’m still anxious.
Even if De Licht finds his condition, he is unlikely to use it as a built-in center back due to the risk of injury. In addition, even if De Licht wins the trust of Tuchel, Upamecano is likely to suffer damage.
Just before this season, local media diagnosed that “Kim Min-jae and De Ligt are likely to be the center back duo and Upamecano will rotate as a backup” in the competition for the starting lineup of three world class center backs.
De Ligt’s return could rather help Kim Min-jae’s performance.
Kim Min-jae was not rested enough to cause a “controversy over death” this season. He has been the main player in almost every game while playing both the league and the European Champions League.
With Kim Min-jae’s absence, Bayern Munich is on alert. It has to fill the gap during the Asian Cup run-up, but there is no suitable alternative.
Recruitment of Barcelona Araujo, who needs cash due to financial difficulties, has been considered, but the possibility is slim. It is difficult to recruit a center back in a class that will fill the gap of Kim Min-jae.
However, Kim Min-jae does not let his guard down. Rather, he is burning his will to compete for the starting lineup. In reality, there is a possibility that the duo of Upamecano and De Ligt Centerback will be selected. It is true that both players are world-class center backs. However, there is an injury issue, and Kim Min-jae’s impact is quite big this season. After all, when Kim Min-jae returns from the Asian Cup, there is a high probability that he will recover his position as the starting center back. However, Kim Min-jae’s mindset is very positive. It means that he accepts the sternness of a professional and is ready to compete for the starting lineup with his best performance at any time. Kim Min-jae does not let his guard down beforehand.