Roberto De Zerbi’s Tottenham are being linked with a 6ft 3in centre-back from Bayern Munich, and the report comes from one of the more reliable voices on the German champions.

German journalist Christian Falk says Spurs are one of three clubs monitoring Kim Min-jae, alongside Aston Villa and AC Milan, after all three made preliminary contact with Bayern over the summer without lodging a formal bid.

“Aston Villa is interested, and I heard both Tottenham and AC Milan are also looking at the South Korean international,” Falk said.

“The three clubs in question already made contact in the summer for him, but in the end there was no offer.”

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Bayern hold the key

Falk’s central point is that any move depends on what happens in Munich, not in north London.

“Bayern Munich will be the first club Kim opens any kind of talks with,” he said.

Kim, 29, is a right-footed central defender who is comfortable playing out from the back and strong in the air. He has one year left on his Bayern deal after the current 2026-27 season, which gives the club a clear window to either extend him or cash in before he can leave on a free.

A defender for a leaking Spurs side

The interest lines up with Tottenham’s shape on the pitch. De Zerbi’s side have not won a Premier League match this season, sitting 20th after five games with two points, two goals scored and eight conceded.

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Kim is understood to be focused on fighting for his place at Bayern rather than pushing for a move.

Aston Villa and AC Milan are in the same holding pattern. According to Falk, all three clubs are watching rather than acting, and none has taken the step of tabling an offer.

“I wouldn’t expect a January move or anything,” Falk said. “Everything will depend on what Bayern Munich will tell Kim in contract talks this year.”

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