Manchester United have "had conversations" with Napoli defender Kim Min-jae regarding a summer move to Old Trafford, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Who will sign Kim Min-jae?
According to Il Mattino, Kim has a €56m (£49m) release clause included in his contract, which becomes active in the summer, however there are a number of teams in the race for his signature, which could make a transfer difficult to orchestrate.
Chelsea are reportedly interested in the centre-back, with the Blues "ready to offer" a deal, with Manchester City and Newcastle United also named as potential suitors, and the latter club have been sending scouts to monitor his performances.
There have been recent reports that Man United are now set to trigger the defender's release clause, while also offering him four times his currently salary, and Romano has now provided an update on Erik ten Hag's pursuit.
In an interview with GiveMeSport, the transfer guru clarified when the South Korean's release clause is set to become active, and claimed that direct contact has already been made with the player himself.
The Italian said: "The release clause of Kim Min-jae is only valid in the first few days of July. It's not valid now and it is not valid in June, so Manchester United can't proceed with that now.
"They can speak to the player side and they had conversations with the player because they have an interest."
Who is Kim Min-jae?
The 26-year-old first started to make a name for himself at Fenerbahce last season, making 31 Super Lig appearances for the Turkish side, and he excelled defensively, averaging 2.3 interceptions and 4.1 clearances per game, the highest figures in the squad.
Since then, the 6 foot 3 colossus has gone on to be a huge success with Napoli, averaging a 7.24 Sofascore rating in the Serie A this season, the third-highest figure in the squad, largely due to his stellar defensive ability.
The South Korea international has averaged 2.8 aerials and 1.2 interceptions won per game in the Serie A this season, both figures placing him first in the entire squad, while his confidence in possession is indicated by the fact he has the fourth-highest pass success rate.
Hailed as "extraordinary" by teammate Khvicha Kvartskhelia, Kim would be an excellent signing for Man United this summer, particularly considering his relatively low price tag, and they should now step up negotiations about his contract.