Juventus could end up signing long-term target Kalidou Koulibaly after all, as Chelsea reportedly contemplate the prospect of cutting him loose this winter. As claimed by Calciomercato, the Blues have found the Senegal international’s performances unsatisfying and are willing to negotiate his sale as early as January.
Chelsea forked out in the region of £33m to price Koulibaly away from Napoli to address their defensive shortcomings. In the wake of Andreas Christensen’s move to Barcelona, they were desperate to add to their defensive ranks, with the 31-year-old emerging as a solution to their problems.
Despite beating Juventus, among others, to acquire Koulibaly’s services only months ago, Chelsea could ship the experienced center-back out in January. After developing into one of the best-performing defenders in Serie A, the Senegalese star has flopped in the Premier League.
Since Graham Potter replaced Thomas Tuchel at the helm, Koulibaly has become a marginal figure at Chelsea. He’s no longer part of the Blues’ first-team picture. As such, Juventus could take him back to Serie A in a cut-price deal this winter.
Massimiliano Allegri brought in Gleison Bremer from Torino to fill the shoes of long-term captain Giorgio Chiellini. Though the Brazilian rose to the occasion following a sluggish start, Juventus are still in the market for a new defensive addition. And Koulibaly could be their man.
He may be approaching the twilight of his year, but he is still one of the most highly-rated defenders in Europe. On top of that, Juventus are no strangers to playing experienced stars, so it’s no surprise they’re entertaining the idea of rescuing Koulibaly from his misery in England.
Additionally, as evidenced by Koulibaly’s performances for Senegal at the World Cup, he’s not lost his touch.