Napoli fail in bid to increase release clause of key Manchester United target

Serie A champions Napoli have been unable to convince defender Kim Min-Jae to agree to a new release clause, with Premier League giants Manchester United rumoured to be interested in the defender’s services. 

Kim Min-Jae has been a mainstay in the Napoli defence this season, making 33 starts from 34 games as the Partenopei made history by claiming their first Serie A title since 1990 with victory in the 2022/23 campaign. 

The South Korean defender’s exploits at the heart of the Napoli defence have made him a prime target for a few of Europe’s top clubs, with English giants Manchester United the keenest on landing the 26-year-old defender to bolster their options for the 2023/24 season. 

Napoli signed Kim from Fernabache in a deal worth €18 million just last year, but are hopeful they can get a massive windfall from any sale, even though they would prefer that the defender continues at the club. 

Kim’s current contract, which runs out in 2025, reportedly contains a release clause of  €60 million, which will be active for only 15 days between July 1st and 15th when the summer transfer window opens. 

Believing that they have undervalued the Korean, Napoli sought to increase the release clause in the agreement with the defender, but their offer has reportedly been turned down, with Kim apparently interested in a move to Old Trafford. 

Italian newspaper Tutto Mercato report that Kim rejected the offer from Napoli, and other reports also claim that the Korean’s entourage has already been in touch with the Red Devils with a view to completing a summer transfer