Kim Min-jae rose highest to head home from eight yards in the 37th minute, giving Bayern Munich a 1-0 lead over Aston Villa in their pre-season friendly at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park on August 7. The goal, a relatively simple finish for a center-back who’s been the subject of transfer rumors for weeks, carried a quiet statement: he’s staying, and he’s ready.
The match, part of the Audi Football Summit, served as one of Bayern’s final tune-ups before the 2026/27 Bundesliga season kicks off.
Kim’s goal caps a turbulent summer
The 29-year-old South Korean international joined Bayern from Napoli back in 2023, a move that signaled the club’s ambition to build a defense capable of competing on multiple fronts.
That speculation intensified earlier this summer. Bayern reportedly entertained the idea of moving Kim on, a decision that would have freed up wages and roster flexibility. Then, in mid-July, the club reversed course and decided to keep him. His contract runs through June 2028, giving both sides plenty of runway.
