▲ This photo, provided by Napoli's twitter account, shows Kim Min-jae at the press conference. (PHOTO NOT FORALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲ This photo, provided by Napoli's twitter account, shows Kim Min-jae's first training as a Napoli player. (PHOTO NOT FORALE) (Yonhap)

 

 

SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- Kim Min-jae (26), a key defender of the Korean national football team, who joined the prestigious Italian club SSC Napoli and entered the European “big league,” vowed to become a bigger player on the new stage.

“By quickly growing and showing good progress in Europe, I got a chance to come to a good team,” said Kim Min-jae, at a press conference held in Castel di Sangro, Italy, where the team’s training was held, on Saturday. “I’m not going to stop here. I’m going to develop more and leave an impact in Italy.”

Kim Min-jae, who had been active in the Turkish club Fenerbahce S.K., became a Napoli player on July 27.

As a Fenerbahce player, he continuously showed his skills on the European stage, and after multiple rumors of moving to the European big league, he chose Napoli.

At the press conference, where Kim Min-jae first appeared in front of the local reporters as a Napoli player, question related to why he chose Napoli were mainly asked.

“I could feel how active the club and the manager were,” he said. “Nothing else really mattered when Napoli offered me to join their team. It’s a big club and a good club.”

“I chose Napoli because it’s Napoli,” he emphasized as similar questions were being asked again and again.

Napoli, which finished third in Serie A last season and is scheduled to participate in the UEFA Champions League in the new season, sent key defender Kalidou Koulibaly to the England’s football club, Chelsea before signing Kim Min-jae.

“Koulibaly is one of the world’s best players. When someone asks who could replace him, there probably wouldn’t be anyone who could answer that right away,” he said. “It would be a lie if I said there was no pressure to be mentioned as his replacement.”

“I want to show the team what I’m best at, and be able to show my abilities,” he said, without hiding his confidence. “I want to pour in my everything and be a help to the team.”

“I’m active in defense and I believe I have a good cover ability. People also tell me that I have a strong mentality, so I don’t just break down easily,” he also said.

Kim Min-jae is the third South Korean to play in Italy’s Serie A after Ahn Jung-hwan and Lee Seung-woo.

"It's my first time in Serie A, so I think it's important to adapt first. I want to do well in this league," he said.

“There’s a lot to learn about defense from the coach (Luciano Spallett) and the quality of the players are good as well. As much as I’m joining the team late, I’d have to adjust technically.”
 

Kim Min-jae, who became a hot topic by dancing to Psy’s “Gangnam Style” in front of his colleagues on his first day, said, “I wanted to leave a good impression on my colleagues and club members, and thankfully I think that went well.” 

 

 

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]