Seongnam FC’s promising center back Kim Ji-soo has been linked to Napoli after Brentford.
Italian media outlet Napoli Calcio reported on March 21 (KST), “Napoli are looking around and thinking about Kim Min-jae’s successor. Kim Ji-soo, a defender for Seongnam in 2004, could be the ideal profile,” it reported.
“He looks set to head to Brentford, as reported by ‘The Sun’, but Napoli’s attempts to sign him will not be unheard of as they are now moving more into Asian football.”
Napoli have been in search of a new center back since Kalidou Koulibaly left the club last summer. Kim Min-jae was approached by Napoli and signed a three-year contract. Kim immediately became a key player. His solid physicality, speed, and judgment made him one of Serie A’s best defenders. He helped the team win their first Scudetto in 33 years and was hailed as a bargain signing.
In just one season, Kim has developed into one of the best defenders in Europe. Although he is a defender, he stands out from the crowd 안전놀이터 and is loved by fans for his aggressive defense, bold advances, and unselfish defense. In particular, the moment when he stretched out his foot to block Brahim Diaz’s decisive header against AC Milan is still considered a classic.
But Napoli’s mistake proved crucial. When Napoli signed Kim Min-jae, they set a buyout clause of €48-50 million (approximately $642-670 million). However, based on his performances this season, this was a bargain. As a result, he is attracting interest from deep-pocketed English Premier League (EPL) clubs. He has been strongly linked with Manchester United and Newcastle United.
Eventually, Napoli will need to find a successor to Kim Min-jae. One player who has emerged as an alternative is Kim Ji-Soo. Kim was born in 2004 and is a center back with a lot of potential. He made his professional debut last year when he signed a semi-professional contract with Seongnam. He played 19 league games last season, earning the trust of coach Kim Nam-il.
This season, he hasn’t played much for his club as he was away at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023. Nevertheless, Brentford, who saw his potential, were interested. They even made a formal offer.
It’s encouraging to see Napoli linked to a player in this situation. Of course, Napoli’s interest was reported by a local media outlet, so it’s hard to say how much credibility it has. However, it shows the potential of Kim Ji-soo and the European interest in him.
Meanwhile, Kim Ji-soo scored the game-winning goal in South Korea’s 2-1 victory over France in their Group F match at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina on Wednesday. For now, Kim Ji-Soo will focus on his country’s upcoming group games against Honduras on Friday, June 26 at 6 a.m. and Gambia on Monday, June 29 at 6 a.m.
