Manchester United have been ‘scouting’ Napoli defender Kim Min-jae ahead of a potential switch to Old Trafford, according to Italian football expert Carlo Garganese.

The 26-year-old only arrived at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona from Fenerbahce over the summer transfer window but could be on the move once again soon enough.

What is the latest news involving Kim Min-jae?

Italian outlet Calciomercato have claimed that United, alongside Tottenham Hotspur and Juventus, are monitoring Kim Min-jae’s development at Napoli.

The South Korea international, who has been labelled an "iron barrel" and "extraordinary", has caught the eye in the opening few months of the season for the Serie A league leaders, sparking speculation over his immediate future.

However, Fabrizio Romano has claimed that there is ‘no chance’ Kim Min-jae departs Gli Azzurri in January and that they are even preparing a new contract offer for him.

United, therefore, may have to wait until the summer to make their move for the centre-back and hope he refuses to put pen to paper on fresh terms.

What has Garganese said about Kim Min-jae?

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Garganese said: “I know they've been scouting him. I actually know this; I wrote about this maybe a month or two ago.

“United's scouts have been looking at Kim Min-jae, he only joined Napoli this past summer. But the key with him is he has a minimum fee release clause in his Napoli contract, and it's only around about €50 million (£43m).

“It's only valid for foreign clubs, but the key is that it's only valid for two weeks. I'm not sure about the exact timing, but I think it's at the start of July, or some point in July, though I'm assuming it's at the start of July.

Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know

“But at some point in July, there's a two week window where he has this €50 million release clause. It's open only for foreign clubs.

“So, if Manchester United or any club were to come in and he wanted to leave, then there's nothing Napoli can do about it.”

Would Kim Min-jae be a good signing?

Kim Min-jae has made 20 appearances for Napoli throughout 2022/23 so far, finding the back of the net on two occasions while putting up some impressive underlying numbers.

As per WhoScored, the 6 foot 3 ace has won 3.1 aerial duels, pulled off 1.1 interceptions, 3.9 clearances, and 1.1 blocks per top-flight fixture, placing him in the top two for each metric when compared to his teammates.

It’s evident that Kim Min-jae has the potential to be an astute acquisition for United, and he could become a valuable addition to Erik ten Hag’s ongoing revolution.