Kalidou Koulibaly is reportedly poised to initiate discussions with Serie A giants, with Barcelona also keen on signing the Napoli defender.
According to reputed Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Kalidou Koulibaly’s representatives met Juventus about a possible move in the summer transfer window and will initiate talks about a transfer soon. The Napoli defender is also a target for Barcelona.
Kalidou Koulibaly is eager to embark on a new adventure before entering the final phase of his career. The Senegalese international has been one of the best defenders in Serie A since joining Napoli from KRC Genk eight years ago, becoming a mainstay at the back for club and country over the years.
The 31-year-old has turned out 317 times for Napoli thus far while chipping in with 14 goals and seven assists. But with Koulibaly entering the final year of his contract with the Partenopei, a summer exit could be on the cards, particularly because he is keen on joining a new club. And two of his prospective suitors are Barcelona and Juventus.
Recent reports claimed that Fali Ramadani, who shares good relations with Barcelona, gave the Blaugrana the opportunity to sign Koulibaly for around €20 million. The veteran defender is a viable target for Barcelona amid uncertainties surrounding the futures of Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza.
In addition, with Gerard Pique in the twilight of his career, Koulibaly is the ideal candidate to succeed the former Spanish international in the coming years. But Barcelona will need to fend off stiff competition from Juventus to secure the services of the Senegalese centre-back this summer.
The interest from Juventus stems from the rising uncertainties surrounding the future of Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutchman has previously featured on Barcelona’s radar but is currently the subject of a transfer battle between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. And with Giorgio Chiellini no longer at the club, Koulibaly is an option worth considering for the Serie A giants.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Koulibaly has met Juventus, with the Serie A giants discussing several options to replace de Ligt. But the 31-year-old is reportedly eager to join Barcelona, which might complicate matters for Juventus. It will be interesting to see how things develop in this transfer saga.
