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Newcastle United will be delighted with the reported progress given the club's disappointing summer last year
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Newcastle United will be looking to build on arguably their most successful season in a generation at the end of this campaign. Eddie Howe led the Magpies to their first domestic silverware in 70 years when they defeated Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, and a Champions League spot is still very much in play thanks to their Premier League position. Reinforcements will be needed to top a remarkable season on Tyneside – it appears work on that is already underway. According to German outlet Fussball Transfers, the Magpies have held “concrete talks” with the agent of Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae. The same report reveals that, although the South Korea international has started 26 of Bayern’s 30 Bundesliga games this season, the German giants would be willing to part ways at the right price. That price is believed to be €50m, matching what Die Roten paid Napoli for the player in 2023. Newcastle are not the only side to have held talks about a move, with Chelsea also reported to have made similar progress. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. The Magpies will be keen to get this one over the line, as they missed out on their top defensive target, Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, last summer, refusing to pay the rumoured £70m asking price. They instead signed former Bournemouth man Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer, but have already sold him for £20m to Juventus, after he made just 14 Newcastle appearances. In Four Four Two’s opinion, while Kim Min-jae will not provoke as much excitement as a successful Guehi bid in Newcastle quarters, it could be a smart acquisition. If Bayern are openly asking for €50m, chances are they’ve factored in being knocked down by potential bidders, meaning the Magpies could pick up a bargain with some shrewd negotiations. As Matthijs de Ligt has shown at Manchester United, just because a centre-back’s reputation at Bayern is suffering, it doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t come and kick on in England. Kim Min-jae is valued at €45m by Transfermarkt. Isaac Stacey Stronge is a freelance football writer working for Four Four Two, Manchester United and Football League World. He has been a season ticket holder at Stockport County throughout the Hatters’ meteoric rise from the National League North to League One and is a die-hard Paddy Madden fan.
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