Tottenham are planning to reinforce their defensive unit in the summer amid the uncertain futures of Romero and Van de Ven.
Tottenham Hotspur ended up 17th in the Premier League last season and are staring down the barrel of another miserable finish this term. Igor Tudor has been brought in as the interim head coach to save the Spurs ship from sinking.
There appears to be very little chance of securing European football for next term, with 12 games to bridge a gap currently at more than 10 points. With that, former Spurs scout Bryan King feels there’s a danger that the club will lose some of its biggest stars, such as Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven.
Recent reports suggest Paris Saint-Germain are preparing a big-money bid for Romero in the summer. There is interest from Liverpool in Van de Ven, who has been the team’s standout performer this season. If the duo wishes to leave at the end of the season, the Lilywhites will seek a premium for their services.
Amid a potential overhaul in the summer, Tottenham are interested in signing a defender from the Bundesliga.
Bayern Munich defender on Tottenham’s radar
According to BILD Sport reporter Christian Falk, Tottenham are keen on Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae and have added him to their transfer shortlist. Spurs’ London rivals, Chelsea, are also keeping tabs on the Bayern Munich star ahead of the summer transfer window.
Bayern Munich signed Kim Min-jae following his outstanding Serie A campaign with Napoli, where he won the Scudetto in his only season in Italy. The 29-year-old has been a reliable presence at the back for Bayern in the last two seasons; however, he has become the club’s third-choice centre-back behind Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah this term.
This has resulted in the South Korean international being limited to just 10 league starts. Kim reminded everyone of his quality with an assured performance in Bayern’s recent 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen. Filling in for Upamecano, the 29-year-old helped his team keep a clean sheet.
While the €25m-worth star is currently happy with his role at the Allianz Arena, a deal in the summer cannot be ruled out, Christian Falk said on CF Bayern Insider.
Tottenham to battle Chelsea for Kim
Tottenham are eyeing another major squad rebuild after a disastrous Premier League campaign so far. Their desire to strengthen the defensive ranks by recruiting a quality central defender from Europe perhaps shows a lack of faith they have in both Romero and Van de Ven staying beyond the 2025/26 season.
Kim has emerged as a target, thanks to his combination of physicality, pace and technical ability. He is a good reader of the game, a tenacious tackler and tactically smart, making him a good fit in N17. However, like Spurs, Chelsea want to fortify their defence. A leader, experienced, and a winner, the South Korean star is an attractive proposition for the Blues as well. It is also said that signing Kim would depend on who Tottenham appoint as their permanent manager next season.
If the London duo intensify their interest in the Bayern man, it would eventually come down to which team is playing in the Champions League. At this moment, Chelsea are in good form under new boss Liam Rosenior and among the favourites to finish in the Champions League spots. On the contrary, Spurs are avoiding themselves from getting embroiled in a relegation battle.
So, there’d be no prizes for guessing where Kim could end up in England if he decides to leave Bavaria.