Kim Min-jae gets second start as Napoli beat Girona 3-1

Kim Min-jae, third from right in the back row, poses with his Napoli teammates ahead of a game against Girona at Stadio Teofilo Patini in Castel di Sangro, Italy on Wednesday. [NAPOLI SSC]

Kim Min-jae played 69 minutes in his second appearance for Napoli as the Serie A side beat La Liga club Girona 3-1 in a friendly at Stadio Teofilo Patini in Castel di Sangro, Italy on Wednesday.

Kim was in the starting lineup for the second time since joining the club just a week ago, a clear indication that he is set to take a regular starting spot when Serie A kicks for the 2022-23 season next week.

Appearing alongside Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Amir Rrahmani and Mario Rui as the back four, Kim helped Napoli take a comfortable 3-1 lead, with the only opposition goal coming just before all four defenders were replaced in the 69th minute.

Kim, Di Lorenzo, who is also the team's captain, Rrahmani and Rui also started a game against Mallorca on Sunday together, suggesting the four are likely to be the standard Napoli back line.

Kim joined Napoli on Wednesday last week from Turkish club Fenerbahce after one year playing in the Super Lig. According to reports, Kim is under contract with Napoli until 2025, with the club retaining the option to extend the deal for two more years. Napoli paid 19.5 million euros ($20 million) to Fenerbahce to trigger Kim’s release clause, and have included a 45-million-euro release clause in his new contract.

Kim is set to be only the third Korean ever to play in the Serie A when the season starts later this month.

Kim's arrival in Napoli ended a long transfer saga that saw him linked to clubs in Italy, France, Portugal and England. After a medical on Tuesday last week, Kim arrived in Castel di Sangro on Wednesday and officially signed with the club. He immediately slotted into pre-season friendly and adapted fast enough to make it into the starting lineup on Sunday.

Napoli will play their first game of the 2022-23 Serie A season against Verona on Aug. 15. They have at least one friendly still left to play before then, against Spanish club Espanyol on Saturday.

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