A surprising detail emerged in the Italian press just before Napoli’s heated clashed against Leicester City in the Europa League group opener. Another Premier League club in Manchester United had earlier made an offer for star defender Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window.
With the offer for Koulibaly evidently being rejected, the Manchester giants instead opted to go for French World Cup Winner Raphael Varane.
In an interview on Italian channel Canale 8, Corriere dello Sport journalist Antonio Giordano revealed Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis’ refusal of Manchester United’s bid for the Senegalese.
According to Napoli Magazine, he said: “De Laurentiis had the strength to refuse all the offers that arrived for the big names, in particular for Koulibaly.
“Manchester United were ready to offer €35m, but the patron made it known that Kalidou would not have moved for that amount.”
The offer for the 30-year-old centre-back was out rightly refused by the Partenopei management, understandably so, given the fact that his value on the transfer market lies around the €50m mark.