Chelsea could consider letting Kalidou Koulibaly leave the club in the summer if he fails to improve his situation.
Simon Phillips has told Give Me Sport that Chelsea are open to selling Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer if the defender’s situation remains unchanged. The £300,000-a-week star has underperformed since his high-profile move to Stamford Bridge, and he has cut an unhappy figure.
Kalidou Koulibaly was regarded as one of the best central defenders during his time in Serie A. After years of speculation, the Senegalese centre-back finally got a move to Chelsea, who signed him as a replacement for Antonio Rudiger. At the time, the transfer was considered wise despite the significant outlay to acquire him.
Chelsea paid around £33 million and offered Koulibaly a four-year deal. The defender, earning £300,000-a-week, has not performed to the required levels, as Chelsea have plummeted on the table and currently languish in the tenth spot. Todd Boehly has been aggressive in the market and signed a suitable competitor for the Senegalese.
Benoit Badiashile’s arrival from AS Monaco in January has made Koulibaly the second choice behind the Frenchman. The report claims the 31-year-old is unhappy at Chelsea, and they might consider selling him if his situation does not change dramatically.
Chelsea were prepared to let the defender leave in January. But unsurprisingly, his huge £300,000-a-week salary may have played a part. The Senegalese international has three-and-a-half years left on his deal. So a summer transfer may prove difficult to execute for the Blues.
There is some reported interest from Italy, with Inter Milan looking at him as a viable replacement for Milan Skriniar. A move back to Serie A would make sense. But that may need Koulibaly to take a significant pay cut from his current £300,000-a-week salary.
Chelsea could also look at loaning him out for next season. But ideally, they would like to sell him outright. They may not end up recouping the money invested, but saving on his salary may become vital for the Blues. For now, he will remain with the squad and fight to finish in European places.
Meanwhile, some of the new Chelsea signings could be seen in action on Friday evening, when the Blues take on Fulham. Koulibaly’s involvement remains unclear, as Badiashile could once again take a starting spot in central defence.
