Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae roars after scoring his debut goal against Stuttgart on Aug. 18. Photo by Getty Images
Regarded as one of the best center backs in the world, Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) has yet to live up to his reputation. Unfortunately, he's not even in the top ten in terms of market value.
TransferMarkt, a specialized soccer transfer site, revealed the 10 most valuable defenders in the world today. They ranked players who play in defensive positions, including center back and full back.
Yoshiko Gvardiol (Manchester City) tops the list. He is valued at €80 million ($115.8 million) by TransferMarkt. His teammate, Ruben Dias, is worth the same amount.
In third place, William Saliba (Arsenal) is valued at €75 million ($108.5 billion). The fourth through seventh spots have the same price tag of 70 million euros ($101.3 billion). Kim's teammates Alfonso Davies, Ronald Araujo (FC Barcelona), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) and Ederson Militant (Real Madrid) round out the top seven.
The €65 million ($94 billion) Mathias Der Licht (Munich), Ashraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain) and Christian Romero (Tottenham) round out the top 10. 안전토토사이트
Kim Min-jae's name is not on the list. Still, Kim's price tag is a bit short of "world's best. Last month, global sports media outlet Sportkida ranked the five best central defenders of the year, with Kim at the top of the list. He was followed by Diaz, Saliba, and other top center backs. "One of the best center backs in the world right now," they wrote.
But according to TransferMarkt, Kim is worth €60 million ($86.8 billion). That's the eighth-highest price tag for a center back in the world. However, this chart includes fullbacks like Arnold, Davies, and Hakimi, which puts him outside the top 10.
Kim Min-jae's price tag has steadily increased since his professional debut. In particular, his market value has risen vertically since his move to Napoli. Every time TransferMarkt has updated his price based on his performance and age, his value has never dropped.
However, in the last update in December, there was no change. He retained his market value of €60 million, which was set last June. This is the 62nd highest in the world and the 10th highest in the German Bundesliga. It is the highest among South Korean players and the eighth highest in Munich. Among players born in 1996, Kim is the fifth most valuable.