PSG Joins Man United, Newcastle In The Race For Napoli's Defender Kim Min-jae.

Manchester United are leading the race to sign Napoli defender Kim Min-jae but could face competition from Paris Saint-Germain in the pursuit.

According to RMC Sport, the French club who have joined the race, are attempting to hijack United’s pursuit of the defender.

Kim only joined Napoli in an €18.1m (£15.4m) deal from Fenerbahce in 2022, but his current contract only runs for another two years, albeit with an option to extend until the end of the 2026-27 season.

He is expected to depart Naples after just one season with the Partenopei, during which he played a fundamental role in their Serie A title triumph, their first Scudetto since 1990.

His current deal supposedly possesses a release clause worth approximately £43m which will be active during the first 15 days of July, and Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis could refuse to negotiate a deal after the window for the buy-out clause passes.

Should their efforts fail to prolong Kim's stay at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, they will be eyeing more than €50m to negotiate payment terms with any club interested in his services.

The South Korea international was named Serie A’s best defender and featured in the league’s Team of the Season.

He scored two goals and provided two assists from 35 games in the 2022-23 Italian top flight.

The Red Devils are lining up a move to land the central defender at Old Trafford, and have made it clear to the representatives of Kim Min-jae they are interested in signing him.

Some outlets have gone as far as to claim that a deal between United and Napoli is on the verge of being concluded with Min-jae who is eager to join the club at the beginning of next month.

United manager Erik ten Hag is keen to sign a left-sided centre-back to replace Harry Maguire in the squad and reports suggest the Premier League giants are ready to trigger the 26-year-old's release clause.

PSG on the other hand, are currently focusing on primary target Bayern Munich’s Lucas Hernandez, but are wary of paying €60m for the Frenchman, who missed most of last season with injuries.

The Ligue 1 champions will be waving goodbye to Sergio Ramos on a free transfer at the end of the season following a two-year spell in Paris, but they are also expected to sign Inter Milan's Milan Skriniar to replace the departing Spaniard.

Aside from Les Parisiens, Newcastle are also another club keeping tabs on the situation, and could trigger the clause ahead of the Red Devils.

Meanwhile, no official bids have reportedly been made by any interested party.