Home > Sports > Football

Kim Min‑jae overcomes injury, transfer rumors with strong performance in 2-1 victory

Published: 03 Aug. 2025, 14:00 Updated: 03 Aug. 2025, 17:53

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, center, warms up before a preseason match against Lyon at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on Aug. 2. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Bayern Munich center‑back Kim Min‑jae showcased a strong performance in a 2-1 win over Lyon in a preseason friendly at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on Saturday, returning to action after being sidelined due to injury for four months.

Kim started alongside Dayot Upamecano in a 4-2-3-1 formation and played 45 minutes, recording 91 percent pass accuracy, three passes into the final third, two clearances, one headed clearance and one successful long ball.

The center-back duo was back together after contributing to Bayern's Bundesliga title winning run last season.

Kim, 28, missed the last few games at the end of the 2024-25 season due to Achilles problems.

New signee Jonathan Tah, 29, filled in Kim's vacancy during the FIFA Club World Cup, which ran from June through July, and displayed a convincing performance, prompting rumors that Kim could leave Bayern this summer.

Kim played as a regular pick for Bayern last season with 43 appearances across all competitions, but he faced criticism for inconsistent performance and frequent injuries.

Multiple European clubs, such as Juventus, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Saudi squad Al-Hilal, have reportedly shown interest in him against this backdrop.

But reports from German media have suggested that Kim wants to stay at Bayern.

Kim took a break in Korea during the offseason and jetted off to Germany on July 29.

The Korean defender joined Bayern in the summer of 2023 and has played 74 matches across all competitions in the past two seasons, picking up four goals and two assists and winning the Bundesliga last season — his first silverware with the Bundesliga giants.

Bayern will continue their preseason action in a friendly against Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.

The club will play their first competitive match of the 2025-26 season against VfB Stuttgart on Aug. 16 at the DFL-Supercup before starting their regular season campaign with a fixture against RB Leipzig on Aug. 22.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY PIH JU-YOUNG [[email protected]]