Chelsea have a laundry list of pressing needs in the summer 2025 transfer market, and after experiencing a great deal of success in Enzo Maresca’s first season at the helm, there should be a renewed energy to push for more in the 2025/26 campaign.
The Blues are just on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League after being nowhere near that usual milestone in Todd Boehly’s first two seasons as owner, so there is tangible progress under the ex-Leicester City manager despite initial skepticism.
Most of the transfer rumors will focus on Chelsea getting a new striker, but the Blues are also going to need some new signings to bolster their defense, as many of their center back moves have not worked out as hoped.
Chelsea want to sign Kim Min-Jae
According to a report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Chelsea are among the clubs interested in Bayern Munich star center back Kim Min-Jae, as Die Roten are open to receiving transfer offers for the former Napoli man.
Kim has been the subject of intense criticism from sporting director Max Eberl and the Bayern front office, often scapegoated when things haven’t gone the club’s way, including the recent Champions League elimination at the hands of Serie A giants Inter Milan.
Every year, it seems like Bayern Munich find a new high-profile target to dump their anger on, regardless of how that player is actually performing. Last season under Thomas Tuchel, it was center midfielder Joshua Kimmich.
Kim won Serie A for Napoli
Given that Kim has been playing through a serious injury and Bayern have been warned by the player’s association not to play him so much, the criticisms against Kim, who has actually played pretty well this season, have become truly uncomfortable.
So a transfer away from Bayern seems almost inevitable due to the acrimony from the club. Chelsea could benefit by swooping in and signing this unique talent, who was central to Napoli’s sudden Scudetto success in the 2023/24 season.
An intelligent and consistent defender, Kim can bring a different profile to the table for Chelsea, and, at the right price, he’d make a lot of sense as someone who can start alongside the likes of Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana at Stamford Bridge.
Would Kim be the next Koulibaly?
Kim would have the strongest track record of success of any Chelsea center back if signed, and that can help the younger and less proven players at the club improve.
Chelsea may bristle at signing a former Napoli veteran after how the Kalidou Koulibaly transfer played out, but if Kim’s wages are in order, there seems to be less risk in the South Korean international, who has performed better in recent years than Koulibaly did immediately before his Chelsea move.
Joe Soriano covers Tottenham for FanSided’s Hotspur HQ and writes about Real Madrid for The Real Champs. He has extensive experience covering world football since 2014. Joe is an editor for The Trivela Effect, where he covers the biggest clubs in European football. He has watched professional sports regularly since 2002 and can be found playing the same sports he covers with his friends.