Cristiano Ronaldo's Al-Nassr have been dealt a blow, as Bundesliga defender Kim Min-jae has rejected the opportunity to join the club this summer. The Knights of Najd were not the only ones interested in the services of the Bayern Munich centre-back as Al-Qadisiyah have also been linked to him.
A report from German outlet TZ.de revealed that the South Korean star has been attracting interest from Al-Nassr following his sub-par season at the Allianz Arena. While Bayern sporting director Max Eberl has reportedly made a note of holding onto Kim for another season at least, the German club would not be averse to a sale.
However, the 27-year-old, who played 36 games last season, has remained adamant about fighting for his place at Bayern Munich. He was notably part of a team that failed to meet expectations, losing the Bundesliga title while dropping out of the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League.
The Bavarians failed to win a single trophy last season, a shocking return for a club that enjoyed an 11-year streak of winning the Bundesliga title. Bayern Munich are looking to return to glory in the next season, and Kim is determined to be a part of their sporting project. He helped the club keep 10 clean sheets in 36 games in all competitions last season.
There are other interested parties like Manchester United, but it does not seem as though Kim, who left Napoli for Bayern last summer, is prepared for a change of scenery again.
Former player explains why Al-Nassr superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has not retired from football
If Kim Min-jae moved to Al-Nassr, he would have had the chance to play with one of the greatest players ever - Cristiano Ronaldo - who is in the twilight of his career.
With no official retirement announcements yet, former Chelsea and Juventus striker Adrian Mutu has explained why Ronaldo has refused to retire. His comments came after the Al-Nassr forward struggled to create much impact for Portugal in the Euro 2024.
Mutu told Romanian outlet iAM SPORT ( via GOAL):
"That's his real motivation. The fact he wants to play an official match with his boy and that's why he doesn't give up. Well, at Al Nassr, it's possible. If he was at another team, I don't know, Real Madrid, it would be more difficult. But to play a half (together), in a year, I don't think it's impossible."
Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, 14, who is currently a part of Al-Nassr's youth system, has previously represented Juventus and Manchester United's junior teams. If the teenage forward has a breakthrough season soon, we might see him play alongside his legendary father.