‘Right now’: £44m star answers claims he’s about to leave his club, after reports Liverpool want him
Kim Min-Jae has denied rumors that he will leave Napoli at the end of the season to join Liverpool.
Kim has been phenomenal for a Napoli team that has dominated Serie A in 2022/23. His dominant performances have prompted rumors that he could be transferred during the summer transfer window.
The 26-year-old, however, stated in quotes relayed by Football Italia that he is solely focused on finishing the season successfully.
“I cannot be bothered by transfer rumours because they aren’t true,” Kim insisted. “Now I’m focusing on the team, rather than that kind of nonsense. There are so many important matches to go and right now I only want to focus on Napoli.”
Napoli leads Italy by 19 points and is on track to win its first Scudetto since 1990. Meanwhile, they face AC Milan in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
Liverpool keen on triggering Kim clause
As Liverpool searches for the ideal candidate to bolster their defense, Kim has emerged as a viable option.
Ben Jacobs reported earlier this week that the Reds are seriously considering the South Korean. If a replacement for Joel Matip is needed, they could do a lot worse than taking a chance on Kim.
Other rumored targets, such as RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, may be more desirable than the Napoli defender, but he could be significantly less expensive.
Earlier this season, Il Mattino of Naples reported that Kim has a £44 million release clause in effect for 15 days this summer.
This is a limited and precise window for Liverpool to complete this transaction. To acquire a quality centre-back in his prime for that price, however, would make the potential hassle or pushback from Napoli worthwhile.
Obviously, Kim would need to be on board with an exit for the release clause to become effective. From the sounds of things, Liverpool would have some convincing to do. Regardless, this is something to watch closely.
‘Right now’: £44m star answers claims he’s about to leave his club, after reports Liverpool want him
