Kim Min-jae is back in action — and in trade rumors

Fenerbahce center back Kim Min-jae was back in action on Wednesday in a friendly against Qatari side Al-Shamal, returning to the Turkish club amid speculation that he is likely to be on the move again this summer.

Kim Min-jae appears for Fenerbahce in a friendly against Al-Shamal at the Can Bartu training pitch in Istanbul on Wednesday. [FENERBAHCE]

Fenerbahce center back Kim Min-jae was back in action on Wednesday in a friendly against Qatari side Al-Shamal, returning to the Turkish club amid speculation that he is likely to be on the move again this summer.

Kim, nicknamed "The Monster" for his unflappable defense, has been out of action for the last couple of months as he underwent surgery on his ankle. That injury caused him to miss the tail end of the Fenerbahce season and four friendlies with the national team, where he normally leads the defense, in early June.

Kim returned to Turkey a few weeks ago and was fit enough to begin training for the 2022-23 season with the rest of the Fenerbahce A squad. Although he was a regular fixture in training sessions, new head coach Jorge Jesus opted to leave Kim out of the starting lineup for the team's first two friendlies of the summer break, likely looking to give him more time to recover.

That break ended on Wednesday, however, as Kim was once again back in the center of the defensive line for Fenerbahce's 4-2 win over Al-Shamal at the club's Can Bartu training pitch in Istanbul. Kim played the first half, with Jesus rotating the full XI at half time to try out as many legs as possible, ending his 45 minutes of the game with Fenerbahce ahead 1-0.

Kim's return to the pitch is a good sign for Fenerbahce, who have an important UEFA Champions League qualifying round clash with Dynamo Kiev coming up at the end of July, but also potentially for Kim himself.

Kim has been a trade rumor favorite for years and this summer is no exception, but there had been concerns that his recent injury might take him off the market. His return to form, however, is likely to significantly increase the chance of a deal coming through before the new season starts.

Kim joined Fenerbahce in August last year from Beijing Guoan, where he had played for two years. At the time, he had been linked to a number of top European clubs including FC Porto, Juventus and Tottenham.

Kim is a highly rated defender who offers a formidable presence in the backline that could see him hold his own against more physical players anywhere in the world. Kim's international performance has gained him a lot of attention, especially during the 2017 Asian qualifier for the 2018 Russia World Cup.

Interest in Kim from European clubs appears to have continued to grow since his move to Fenerbahce, where he has proven that his skills can comfortably transfer outside of Asia.

During this year's January transfer window, Fenerbahce reportedly turned down an offer from Italian club Napoli, and Everton was also rumored to have put in a bid.

In March, scouts from Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Chelsea, Serie A club Juventus and Primeira Liga club FC Porto were all reported to be attending Fenerbahce games to watch Kim play.

Napoli are expected to be one of the main contenders this summer, especially if the club loses current center back Kalidou Koulibaly. French Ligue 1 club Rennes have also publicly stated their interest, with sporting director Florian Maurice describing Kim as "one of the players I like." The normal Premier League names like Tottenham Hotspur and Everton also remain in the mix.

Fenerbahce, for their part, have made it very clear that they consider Kim to be one of the most important acquisitions they have made in recent years and they are very keen to keep him. But with Kim's contract reportedly including a buy-out clause worth about 23 million euros ($25 million), it may not be up to the Turkish club.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]