Arsenal are one of a few clubs to make an enquiry with BJ Sinobo Guoan over the availability of centre-back Kim Min-jae, according to reports.

Urawa Reds' Yuki Muto (R) fights for the ball with Beijing Guoan's Kim Min-jae during the AFC Champions League group G football match between Japan's Urawa Reds and China's Beijing Guoan in Saitama on May 21, 2019. (Photo by Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP) (Photo credit should read TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
Urawa Reds’ Yuki Muto (R) fights for the ball with Beijing Guoan’s Kim Min-jae on May 21, 2019. (Photo by TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)

Portuguese outlet A Bola claim FC Porto, Arsenal and Watford are trying to sign Kim Min-jae. The Gunners have made at least one enquiry with the South Korean defender’s current club in China, trying to evaluate whether a transfer is possible.

The report suggests the move would cost around €15m, with Porto considering a partnership in South Korea to invest in the player to help get the deal done.

The 23-year-old has the nickname “Monster” and A Bola call him the “South Korean Van Dijk”. That’s an exaggeration to hype him up, but he has a solid reputation in Asia. The 6’3″ centre-back joined Beijing Guoan in January 2019 and helped them finish second in the league last season.

Kim Min-jae is up to 34 appearances for his current club, keeping 11 clean sheets. The new season was meant to start on February 22nd, but we’re still waiting on a restart thanks to coronavirus. Right now, the plan is to get going in late June with a shorter schedule.

The defender is also a regular for his country, with 30 caps. He helped South Korea keep seven clean sheets in their last eight games, but it’s worth mentioning seven games were in Asia World Cup qualifiers and the East Asian Football Championship (which they won). The eighth was against Brazil and they lost it 3-0.