Chelsea are ready to bid for Kim Min-Jae, with Napoli reportedly shopping to replace the centre-back. The Scudetto winners are being targeted in the transfer market after their stunning domestic campaign.
What's the latest Kim Min-Jae transfer news?
Italian publication Il Mattino, via Sport Witness, reports that there is doubt surrounding whether Kim will remain at Napoli, although the expectation is that he will leave. His contract contains a release clause which is set somewhere between €50m and €60m – the media aren't sure on the specifics, but depending on the location of the suitor, Napoli will quote a different price.
Chelsea are "ready to offer" whatever it will take to sign Kim this summer. He has earned rave reviews with his dominant and simple defending, giving the likes of Victor Osimhen and Kvicha Kvaratshkelia a basis upon which to attack from.
Napoli appear to already be shopping for the South Korean's replacement, with Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini their main target.
Could Kim Min-Jae revolutionise Chelsea's backline?
Min-Jae is a "monster" of a defender – it's a nickname the player says sums his game up and it's a hint of what Chelsea could get for a very low price.
Whether it's €50m (£43m) or €60m (£52m), the Blues could be about to seal a significant bargain. Not only is the defender 6 foot 2, he is aggressive but measured, strong but agile on the ball and above all else, he offers a calm approach to playing out from the back.
In the Premier League, being able to build out from the back without panicking is a vital skill. The South Korean ranks in the 96th percentile for 'Progressive Passing Dstance' which means only four percent of centre-backs cover more distance with their passes forward.
This includes long balls but it primarily covers short passes from centre-backs to midfielders, fullbacks or wingers.
He ranks in the 99th percentile for the percentage of 'Dribblers Tackled' and 'Challenges Lost'. In short, he's a ball-winning animal and would safeguard Chelsea's defence for years to come if they can complete a deal to sign him this summer.