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What's the story?
If reports are to be believed, Napoli have rejected a €110 million bid for star defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Manchester United.
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis does not want to sell Koulibaly at any cost and the release clause of €150 million will only be valid from 2020.
In case you didn't know...
It is crystal clear that the Red Devils endured an abysmal campaign considering their sky-high standards. They finished their Premier League campaign in 6th place and as a result, they will not feature in the Champions League next season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer initially reignited hopes of securing a top-four spot when he took charge in December, but poor performances in the months that followed added to their misery. United have conceded 54 goals in the league this campaign, which is the second worst defensive record among the top ten teams in the table.
United were also knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-final stages and they failed to leave their mark in the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup. It goes without saying that the Manchester United board and Solskjaer have massive work to do in the summer transfer window.
On the other hand, Koulibaly has led Napoli's defense and delivered consistent performances throughout the season. The 27-year-old remains one of the most used players under Carlo Ancelotti and he has certainly helped the Serie A side secure a Champions League spot.
The heart of the matter
It is an open secret that the Red Devils have been searching for a world-class center-back for some time now and Koulibaly remains one of the top names on their shortlist.
According to reports, United's €110 million bid was rejected by Napoli as Aurelio De Laurentiis has no interest in selling their superstar. United's hierarchy realizes that they will have to break the bank to secure the signing but currently, there is no release clause for Koulibaly. His €150 million termination clause will only be activated in 2020.
What's next?
Manchester United are set to bring reinforcements but it remains to be seen whether they can persuade Koulibaly in the summer.
