Liverpool reportedly decided not to sign Kalidou Koulibaly this past summer due to Napoli’s €60 million valuation of the defender.
According to Ian McGarry, who was speaking on The Transfer Window Podcast, as relayed by Daily Mirror, Liverpool called off their pursuit of Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window due to his €60 million price tag, which was deemed excessive by Sporting Director Michael Edwards.
Kalidou Koulibaly has become one of the best defenders in the world since joining Napoli way back in the summer of 2014. Over the past six years, the Senegalese international has been a mainstay in defence for the Partenopei, who have benefitted immensely from the solidity that the 29-year-old provides at the back.
With over 250 appearances for Napoli under his belt, Koulibaly’s stock is as high as it has ever been and that is why he has been constantly linked with a move to one of the bigwigs of Europe. One such club that was in pursuit of the player this past summer were Liverpool.
The reigning Premier League champions were in the market for a centre-back in the summer after parting ways with Dejan Lovren. Koulibaly was one of the names mentioned by various reports, with several other targets emerging as well before Liverpool chose not to bolster the heart of their defence. It has now been revealed why Liverpool did not launch the offensive for Koulibaly.
Journalist Ian McGarry has laid claims on The Transfer Window Podcast (h/t Daily Mirror) that the Reds decided against making a move for the Napoli defender because of his €60 million price tag. McGarry has suggested that the Serie A giants were adamant on their valuation and that Liverpool were “not willing to spend that amount of money on a 29-year-old.”
The decision might have come back to haunt the Merseyside outfit, considering Joel Matip remains the only senior centre-back at Jurgen Klopp’s disposal following the long-term injuries suffered by Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez. Apart from the injury-prone Matip, the Liverpool boss can also call upon youngsters Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.
In addition, Fabinho has also been deployed as a makeshift centre-back, which could be a regular sight as the season progresses. There have been conflicting reports about Liverpool’s current interests in a central defender, with the reliable David Ornstein claiming that the Premier League champions will not bolster the heart of their backline in January.
Liverpool still continue to be linked with a number of centre-backs and it remains to be seen if they do end up entering the market this winter. As for Koulibaly, a move to Liverpool is now unlikely while in the summer, it was not a possibility after his €60 million valuation was deemed excessive.
