Chelse are eyeing star center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, who is entering the final year of his contract. With the talks with the Napoli management regarding a contract extension going nowhere, a summer exit might be imminent, despite the buzz about him staying ringing around. The 31-year-old defender has been the subject of great interest from a host of top European giants, including Barcelona and Juventus.
However, the emergence of a solid Premier League suitor brings about an edgy aura around this transfer saga. According to Sky, the Blues have added the Senegal ace to their wishlist as they hunt for two center-backs to fill in the space left behind by Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Kalidou Koulibaly, one more name in the list for Chelsea as they keep searching for two centre backs. He’s out of contract with Napoli in 2023. ? #CFC
Been told there are conversations also on Koulibaly alongside de Ligt, Aké, Koundé. Focus on Raphinha, and then centre backs.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2022
Inter’s Milan Skriniar and Juventus’ Matthijs De Ligt are already on the their radar, but the Partenopei stopper would be much cheaper in Thomas Tuchel’s quest to bolster his backline. Napoli would welcome offers in the region of €40M – a proposal they would hesitate to reject given the defender’s contract expiration in June 2023.
Napoli are prepared to lose one of their finest-ever defenders on the back of financial problems that has forced the club to reduce their wage bill – due to which club legends Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens have already been pushed out.
Our Take on Chelsea trailing Koulibaly
Having just turned 31, Koulibaly has several years at the top of his game and would definitely add more class and substance to the Chelsea backline. Barcelona have fallen behind in the transfer race, and going to Juventus would mean betraying the Partenopei fan base that has adored him throughout his eight-season stay in the south of Italy. This only strengthens Chelsea’s position as a potential destination.