Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham 'set to battle for Napoli star Kim Min-jae'

Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are set to lock horns in the race for for Napoli defender Kim Min-jae, according to reports.

Kim has impressed for Napoli this season, forming the second best defence in Serie A and helping his side to a 16-point lead at the top of the table.

But despite only arriving in Naples from Fenerbahce last summer, the South Korean could be set to depart for England.

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool are among those plotting a move for the defender, as the Premier League trio look to strengthen their respective backlines.

The report adds that Spurs hold a slight advantage due to the presence of international team-mate Son Heung-min.

Indeed, the north London club have been long-term admirers of Kim ever since Jose Mourinho arrived at the helm in 2019.

The 'special one', who now manages Roma, previously expressed his interest in the defender while at Spurs.

“I can tell you a story about one of their players,” Mourinho said.

“I spoke to Kim on FaceTime and wanted to buy him at Tottenham, but Tottenham didn’t help me.”

Kim "disturbed" by transfer rumours

Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is keen to shore up his defence, with the likes of Joel Matip and Nat Phillips expected to depart this summer.

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Whereas Erik ten Hag is likely to seek cover for Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, with defensive pairing Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof rumoured with an exit.

However, Kim has played down the rumours, revealing he was "disturbed" by reports linking him with a move away from Napoli.

Speaking to You Quiz on the Block, the 26-year-old admitted: “There are a lot of transfer stories around me, but I’ve only been at Napoli for six months. I’ve avoided interviews, and one of the reasons is that the rumours about me disturb me.”