Juventus may have Kalidou Koulibaly atop their shortlist to replace Matthijs De Ligt, but negotiating with Napoli will be arduous, if not outright impossible. The Bianconeri recently met his agent Fali Ramadani. But that does not mean that the defender has accepted the move.
According to Corriere della Sera, the Partenopei will consider offers north of €30M for their ace, but not from the Old Lady. He has just a year left on his contract. The center-back would prefer to leave Serie A as well. On top of Barcelona, Chelsea could emerge as a real possibility soon.
Napoli would not sell Koulibaly for Juventus even for a crazy proposal, Corriere dello Sport confirms. The last player to switch between the two rivals was Gonzalo Higuain. However, he had a release clause, which is not the case in this instance. The Senegalese international is on the same page out of respect for the club. On the other hand, he does not intend to take the contract extension tendered by the Azzurri.
Coach Luciano Spalletti wants to keep him at all costs, even at the risk of losing him for nothing in 2023. The chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis is ready to make an exception to his salary policy for him. However, that might not be enough to convince the player, the publication adds. Those talks are expected to heat up soon, once the president and the defender reach the pre-season retreat.
Our Take on Koulibaly, Juventus and Napoli
There is no doubt that he would be the single best replacement for De Ligt. The Dutchman might eventually get to such level, but there is a gulf, in the Partenopei ace’s favor, between the two. However, if there is still some loyalty left in football, the move is a non-starter.