‘Extraordinary’: World Cup defender hailed amid claims Tottenham want to pay his release clause

Follow us on Google Discover

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on Kim Min-jae and the Napoli defender has been praised for his ‘extraordinary’ displays in Italy.

This feels like a deal Tottenham could have done a long, long time ago.

Tottenham were keen on Kim during his time with Beijing Guoan in China and 90Min even claimed that Son Heung-min recommended Kim to Spurs in 2021.

This rumour has continued for a while now with Fanatik claiming in April of this year that Tottenham were scouting Kim with Fenerbahce.

Fenerbahce chief Ali Koc even suggested in April that Jose Mourinho wanted Kim at Tottenham but Spurs wouldn’t pay up.

Now shining with Napoli following a summer move, Napoli-based website Gonfia La Rete report that Tottenham are willing to pay Kim’s £43million release clause.

If this rumour goes beyond January, it will start to hit Leandro Damiao levels for Tottenham fans.

Kim Min-jae hailed amid Tottenham rumours

Tottenham face paying around £30million more for Kim than if they had made a move even in the summer of 2021.

That’s incredibly frustrating but signing a player from the Chinese top flight to go straight into the Premier League would have been a risk.

Now having excelled in Turkey and Italy, Tottenham may feel that Kim is ready for the Premier League.

Son Heung-min now has a true co-star in the South Korea national team and seeing them feature at Tottenham together would be truly incredible.

Former Napoli striker Emanuele Calaio has now heaped praise on the South Korean defender whilst speaking to Tuttomercatoweb.

Calaio has suggested that Kim is doing ‘extraordinary’ things in Italy having been ‘skeptical’ that he could replace Kalidou Koulibaly.

Calaio feels that Kim is ‘hungry’ and is learning quickly in Italy, ultimately leading to those rumours of a move to Tottenham.

“I was very skeptical because I didn’t expect above all that Koulibaly’s absence could be made up for, instead Kim is doing extraordinary things,” said Calaio. “He is a player who is hungry , who learns quickly and who does everything Spalletti tells him. The coach is doing a great job,” he added.