Chelsea have reportedly emerged as a potential destination for Napoli defender and Barcelona target Kalidou Koulibaly, valued at around €35 million.
A recent report from Area Napoli has offered an update on the future of Kalidou Koulibaly. The centre-back is facing an uncertain future at Napoli, with his current contract expiring at the end of next season. It has compelled Napoli to consider offloading the defender in the summer, in the hopes of yielding transfer revenue.
Barcelona have been in contention to sign the defender, but it appears they are not in a financial position to pull off such a deal. It has made Chelsea one of the front-runners in the race to sign the central defender, with Napoli willing to part ways with their defensive asset for a fee of €35 million.
Barcelona are not willing to meet such demands despite their apparent need for a centre-back. It appears Xavi is more than happy targeting free agents, having already reached a verbal agreement to sign Andreas Christensen. A move to Camp Nou, therefore, has been ruled out for Koulibaly.
But the defender’s agent Fali Ramadani believes his client can seal a move to the Premier League. Chelsea, in particular, could emerge as a potential destination as the Blues are tipped to lose two of their defensive assets in Christensen and Antonio Rudiger on free transfers, with the latter agreeing to a move to Real Madrid and the former on the verge of joining Barcelona.
Their exits could cause a massive void in the defensive unit, prompting Thomas Tuchel to enter the market for a new central defender. Ramadani is certain Koulibaly can prove to be the solution given his vast experience at the highest level of football, coupled with the dogged defensive philosophy that makes him an excellent fit for Tuchel’s tactical setup at Chelsea.
Koulibaly can be an ideal defensive partner for Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva, adding more experience to the table. It could be critical in helping them drive out of the mess following the sanctions on Roman Abramovich that have derailed Chelsea’s campaign, with the Blues now running the risk of being dragged back into the top-four race.
There are positives on the horizon, with Chelsea closing in on the completion of their takeover. A consortium led by American business magnate Todd Boehly has emerged as the favourites to own Chelsea, and it is only a matter of time before the deal gets finalised, which would levy the restrictions put in place by the UK government.