Newcastle United make contact over signing £42.8m star who rejected Dan Ashworth in 2023

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Newcastle United have their sights set on a new centre-back this summer and have begun talks with a Bundesliga star over a summer move.

The Magpies have been fairly solid at the back in the last couple of months, but their ageing back line means this summer will see fresh faces come in.

Dan Burn has been Newcastle United’s hero recently, scoring a magnificent header in the Carabao Cup final and earning his first call-up to the England national team. Fabian Schar signed a new deal at Newcastle in April after his magnificent form this season. The Swiss defender scored during Newcastle’s win against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, also keeping a clean sheet alongside Burn.

However, the pair are 32 and 34 respectively. Both players are no longer spring chickens, so a new guard of centre-back is required to take Newcastle to the next level.

That does not mean they will not be a big part of Newcastle’s first-team squad next season. The Magpies will be in Europe, so squad depth will be key for the busy parts of the campaign.

With Paul Mitchell tasked with finding a new defender for Eddie Howe this summer, a new report has stated that Newcastle have already entered discussions with a player who could have joined two seasons ago.

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Newcastle United enter discussions with Kim Min-jae

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae has been a big part of Vincent Kompany’s plans this season. However, it looks like the South Korean international does not have a future at the club past this season.

During the 2024/25 campaign, Kim has played 42 games in all competitions, including 13 appearances in the Champions League. Bayern are on their way towards another Bundesliga title, with Kim playing all but three games in the league.

Now, it has been reported by FootMercato that both Newcastle and Chelsea have made contact with the defender’s agents over a potential move in the summer. The report also states that Kim has interest from an unnamed Serie A club, the division he left for £42.8m in 2023.

At 28 years old, the defender is favouring a move to a new league, with England reportedly his preferred destination.

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Kim Min-jae turned down Newcastle United move in 2023

While Mitchell will be entering his first full summer transfer window with Newcastle, it is not the first time the Magpies have been linked with a move for Kim.

While Dan Ashworth was still sporting director, Newcastle were in talks with Kim over a move just after Napoli had won their third Serie A title. At one point, Newcastle were believed to have ‘accelerated talks’ with Kim, but ultimately, a move never materialised.

Kim joined Bayern Munich, rejecting Newcastle’s approach. Mitchell can now do one better than Ashworth this summer by bringing him to the club to help with their season in Europe.

With a big transfer window planned, Kim could be one of just several new faces through the door at Newcastle this summer.