Napoli signs South Korea defender Kim Min-jae from Fenerbahçe
South Korea defender Kim Min-jae (L) and Napoli chair Aurelio De Laurentiis sign a contract, Napoli, Italy, July 27, 2022. (IHA Photo)


Napoli has signed South Korea center back Kim Min-jae from Turkish Süper Lig club Fenerbahçe, the Serie A club confirmed Wednesday.

In a video posted by the Italian club on Twitter, the player was seen signing the contract, sitting beside the club chair, Aurelio De Laurentiis.

The 25-year-old has signed a contract worth 18.05 million euros ($18.3 million) according to a Fenerbahçe statement published on the Turkish Public Disclosure Platform (KAP).

He will have the difficult task of replacing Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly who left Napoli after eight years with the club to join Chelsea earlier this month. The 31-year-old inked a four-year deal with the English Premier League club on July 16.

Kim moved to Fenerbahçe in August 2021 from the Chinese club Beijing Guoan. He scored one goal in 39 appearances for the Istanbul-based side.

He has also made 42 international appearances but was forced to sit out of the 2018 World Cup due to injury.