"There's a big desire in me to give back" - Chelsea star says he wants to be at Stamford Bridge for 'many years' despite struggles

Kalidou Koulibaly has vowed to repay Chelsea for the faith they showed in him last summer when they paid a fee of £33 million to sign him from Napoli.

The Senegal international was widely regarded as one of the world's finest defenders during the majority of his eight-year stay in Naples. Things, however, haven't been as rosy as he would have wanted in west London.

Koulibaly has come under heavy criticism after a series of inconsistent and nervy performances at the back. Despite the heavy investment, the Blues are yet to see the best of him. The centre-back is himself aware of the fact that he can do better.

In an interview with the Times, the 31-year-old said:

"I know I’m not at 100% yet, but think I’m coming to my level. Chelsea made a big decision to sign me [last summer for £33million] and there’s a big desire in me to give back."

Koulibaly, whose contract at Stamford Bridge runs until the summer of 2026, added:

"I want to be part of this club for many years. This is not the year Chelsea were expecting, but sometimes when you have big changes, new proprietors, and half the team is new, everybody has to adapt..."

Despite not being at his best, Koulibaly has featured in 30 games across competitions this season under three different managers. He played the full 90 minutes when Bruno Saltor led Chelsea to a 0-0 draw against Liverpool in the Premier League on April 4.

Koulibaly also played the entire game under caretaker boss Frank Lampard in the 1-0 league loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers four days later.

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Chelsea can still salvage the season with UCL success

Chelsea's domestic struggles under owner Todd Boehly this season are well known. Despite being heavily backed in consecutive transfer windows, the Blues are out of all domestic cup competitions.

They are also languishing in 11th position in the league table after 30 games, trailing fourth-placed Manchester United by 17 points with a game in hand. Barring an unprecedented miracle, Chelsea will miss out on a top-four finish this season.

Nevertheless, they still have a huge chance to make this season a memorable one. Chelsea are active in the UEFA Champions League, where they face 14-time winners Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. The Blues will face Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 12 before hosting the return leg six days later.

Frank Lampard is confident about his team's chances. However, one can't deny that they are on a rancid run this season, with just five wins out of their last 22 games across competitions.