Kim, 29, has already agreed personal terms on a move to Juventus, according to multiple Italian sources, and a swap arrangement involving Gleison Bremer moving in the opposite direction has also been explored. The two clubs' proximity on a potential pure cash deal has now narrowed considerably.
Kim joined Bayern Munich from Napoli for €50 million in the summer of 2023 and has struggled to establish the kind of dominance that justified that fee. Persistent injuries — a thigh problem in January, a knee issue in December — limited him to 20 Bundesliga appearances in the 2025-26 season.
He was openly described in the German press as a "challenger" rather than a guaranteed starter, operating behind the preferred central defensive pairing in Vincent Kompany's system.
Transfermarkt currently values Kim at €20 million, down from the €32 million cited in earlier parts of the season. The Kicker report that Bayern are now willing to accept €20-25 million suggests the club has accepted they cannot recoup close to their original outlay.
Juventus's original approach, when the Italian press cited a €40 million asking price, was structured around a two-year contract for the Korean. That personal agreement remains in place, according to Corriere dello Sport. The question is whether the clubs can now agree a fee that reflects Bayern's reduced expectations and Juventus's budget constraints following a season that ended without Champions League qualification.
Kim is currently on international duty with South Korea at the World Cup in North America, where a strong tournament could reignite broader interest and complicate the timeline — or accelerate it, if other clubs enter the market.
For now, the deal has shape. The gap has closed. The next move is Juventus's.