Latest transfer rumors link Kim Min-jae to Everton

Fenerbahce's Kim Min-jae, left, vies for the ball with Besiktas' Michy Batshuayi during a Turkish Super League match at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on Dec. 19, 2021. [AP/YONHAP]

Rumors that Fenerbahce defender Kim Min-jae could be on the move continue this week, with Turkish media reporting that Premier League club Everton could have made an offer for the center back.

Turkish transfer news site Degaj Sports reported Sunday that Everton had been linked to Kim, with some rumors claiming the club has offered £20 million for the defender.

The rumor so far appears to come from Twitter, with no club sources confirming the possible move. It's likely linked to the persistent rumor that Everton could be looking to bring in former Fenerbahce manager Vítor Pereira to fill the gap left by the departure of Rafael Benítez on Jan. 16.

Everton is the second club to be linked to Kim during the January transfer window, with Fenerbahce reportedly also turning down an offer from Napoli at the start of the month.

Kim joined Fenerbahce in August from Beijing Guoan, where he had played for two years. At the time, he had been linked to a number of top European clubs including Portuguese side Porto, Italian Serie A club Juventus and the Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur. On multiple occasions, reports had gone as far as to say that a deal has been struck, but this is the first time that Kim has actually traveled to a club to undergo medical checks.

Kim is a highly rated defender who offers a formidable physical presence in the backline that could see him hold his own against more physical players anywhere in the world.

Kim has 38 caps for the senior Korean men’s team and appeared for the U-23 team eight times, including at the 2018 Asian Games, where he earned a military exemption. Kim’s international performance has gained him a lot of attention, earning him the nickname The Monster for his ferocious defense during the 2017 Asian qualifier for the 2018 Russia World Cup.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]