Chelsea have reportedly agreed to personal terms with Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly over a summer move.
According to Italian football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are closing in on signing Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window. The Blues have agreed to personal terms with the Senegalese international, who is expected to sign a five-year deal worth €10 million per year with them.
Thomas Tuchel is short on central defensive options following the departures of his two first-choice centre-backs, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. While the former joined Real Madrid, the Danish international moved to Barcelona, with both leaving Chelsea as free agents.
There are also question marks over the futures of Marcos Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta, with just one year remaining on their respective deals with the west London club. Tuchel is thus eager to add defensive reinforcements this summer, and the Chelsea boss has made it his number one priority.
The Blues have been linked with a host of defenders but now finally seem to be signing one. Koulibaly has hinted at his impending move to Chelsea and has agreed to terms that would see him earn €10 million per year, with a five-year contract in place. Chelsea are currently in dialogue with Napoli, with an agreement expected to be reached in the coming days.
Chelsea are now closing on Kalidou Koulibaly deal! Full agreement on personal terms for €10m net per season, contract until June 2027. ?? #CFC
Negotiation set to be completed in the coming days: Chelsea working to close the deal for €38m plus add ons as final proposal. pic.twitter.com/phS4oYhH37
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 12, 2022
The Londoners want to close the deal quickly and will reportedly make an offer worth €38 million plus add-ons for the 31-year-old defender, who has just a year remaining on his contract with the Serie A club.
Koulibaly joined Napoli from KRC Genk in 2014 and has since grown into a defensive rock for the Serie A giants. He has been linked with an exit over the past few seasons, with some of Europe’s top clubs keeping tabs on him. But Napoli managed to keep hold of him until now as he amassed 236 Serie A appearances and 26 in the UEFA Champions League.
With eight years of Italian top-flight football under his belt, the Senegalese international seems like a good acquisition for Chelsea. But the west Londoners will hope he is the first in a long list of signings for them this summer.
