Bayern Munich is reportedly pushing to recruit promising defender.

Sky Sports Germany reported on the 4th (Korean time) that "Bayern Munich has included Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba in their recruitment list."

It added, "Max Eberl, the Bayern Director General, is keeping Lukeba's recruitment in mind. Bayern Munich finds him very interesting, and Director General Eberl is watching him closely. Lukeba is left-footed, strong in tackles, and has excellent passing ability.

Born in 2002, defender Lukeba has been highly regarded as a promising defender representing France since making his professional debut at Lyon in 2021. After consistently performing well at Lyon, Lukeba entered the German stage in the summer of 2023 after being courted by Leipzig.

At Leipzig, Lukeba played 41 matches, showcasing stable defense. He also recorded a re-contract and delivered performance beyond expectations.

If he joins Bayern Munich, competition with Kim Min-jae is inevitable. Lukeba is a player who stands out in speed and passing. He overwhelms opposing attackers with precise tackles and positional awareness, and his speed makes him capable of covering space behind. With excellent forward passes and simple escapes from pressure, he is evaluated as a player with strengths in many areas.

Therefore, he is highly likely to compete with Kim Min-jae and Upamecano for a starting position.

Lukeba is attracting interest from Premier League big clubs.

Bild reporter Christian Falk noted, "Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson will leave Liverpool due to expiring contracts and decline in form. Discussions are ongoing, but if there are no twists, Liverpool is expected to spend a lot of expenditure on recruitment. Liverpool is interested in Lukeba."

On the 1st, Bayern Munich won 3-1 against Stuttgart in an away match in the 24th round of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga season held at MHP Arena in Stuttgart, Germany.

With this victory, Bayern Munich continued their unbeaten streak to nine matches.

They are one step closer to winning the Bundesliga for the first time in two years. The first-place Bayern Munich has 19 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss, accumulating 61 points, widening the gap to 11 points from second-place Bayer Leverkusen (50 points), who has played one game less.

Notably, Kim Min-jae's presence stood out in what was essentially a championship-deciding match.

Stuttgart pressed hard in the early stages of the match. In the 6th minute of the first half, Fahd el Moudane had a good opportunity but failed to finish. Kim Min-jae also showcased his presence by intercepting the opponent's passes effectively.

Bayern missed a crucial opportunity. In the 22nd minute of the first half, Stuttgart made a mistake during a build-up from the back, and Leroy Sané intercepted it before passing. The ball was received by Jamal Musiala, who faced the goalkeeper one-on-one, but his shot went wide of the goal. Stuttgart's Omar Marmoush hit the crossbar with a shot in the 31st minute of the first half, resulting in disappointment.

Stuttgart took the lead first. In the 34th minute of the first half, Leroy Sané slipped and lost the ball, and Fahd el Moudane passed from the right. Stiller, who received the ball near the arc, fired a cannonball left-footed shot into the net for the opening goal.

Bayern Munich equalized before the end of the first half. In the 45th minute of the first half, Kim Min-jae's headed clearance went over the Stuttgart defense and was connected to Sané in the front. Sané immediately slid a pass into the space behind, and Thomas Müller finished with an accurate left-footed shot to score the equalizer. The first half ended 1-1.

Bayern Munich turned the game around. In the 64th minute of the second half, Stuttgart committed a critical error during a build-up in the box. Leon Goretzka swiftly intercepted the goalkeeper's pass and scored the comeback goal.

Stuttgart launched an offensive to equalize. However, Bayern's stable defense led by Kim Min-jae and Eric Dier was impenetrable. Stuttgart struggled to even secure shooting opportunities in the box. Bayern managed to score a cushion goal at the end of the match, defeating Stuttgart.

The key player in the victory, Kim Min-jae, played the full 90 minutes and played a pivotal role in the equalizing goal. On this day, he recorded 3 successful long passes (3/4), 1 tackle, 11 clearances, 5 recoveries, and a 100% success rate in aerial duels (4/4). The soccer statistics outlet 'Footmob' rated him 7.7.

Despite his impressive performance, there are still concerns. Kim Min-jae has been in a situation where he must consistently start due to Upamecano's injury, despite requesting rest. His partner Eric Dier is relatively slower, so he still has to endure a heavy workload in terms of sprints.

Though not at 100% condition, Kim Min-jae displayed a solid performance. Since last fall, he has been experiencing pain in his left Achilles tendon, which has also led to issues in his right knee. Recently, he requested rest, but due to Upamecano's injury, he has no choice but to start.

Additionally, he cannot simply play against Stuttgart and rest. There are still more important matches that require his participation. Especially on the 5th, he is set to face Bayer Leverkusen, competing for the German Bundesliga title and the UEFA Champions League (UCL).

Bayern must put everything on the line against Bayer Leverkusen in the round of 16. Therefore, Kim Min-jae's involvement in this match is almost certain. Even with a request for rest, he will play the full 90 minutes in three matches over the span of just 10 days.

He received accolades even locally in Germany. Most rated him the highest in the team with a score of 2, acknowledging his performance.

Sports illustrated noted, "He was Bayern's best defender. Kim Min-jae recorded several outstanding defensive plays. He even created Musiala's equalizing goal by winning an aerial duel."

TZ reported, "Kim Min-jae, who has been suffering from Achilles tendonitis since October, had to grit his teeth once again. He displayed stable skills without errors and sent many passes forward. This is the form that coach Kompany expects from him," giving him a score of 2. 'Avent Zeitung' also noted, "He defended against a massive volley with Dier. He was very confident," giving him a score of 2.

Notably, even Germany's Kicker, which had previously delivered close to disparaging evaluations of Kim Min-jae, praised him highly. Kicker awarded Kim Min-jae the highest score of 2 in the team, stating, "He showed strong and clear presence in the box. He showcased overwhelming performance throughout the 90 minutes."

Kicker remarked, "Kim Min-jae showcased powerful performances in ground duels and aerial contests throughout the match. His success rate in contests reached nearly 90%. He truly displayed himself as the cornerstone of Bayern Munich's defense."

Reluctantly, Kicker acknowledged Kim Min-jae once again. The outlet included his name among the central defenders in the Bundesliga round 24 Best XI. They chose Kim Min-jae as the centerpiece of the defense line in a 3-2-4-1 formation. In essence, they acknowledged his skills instead of being dismissive.

[OSEN]