What’s the story?
Premier League champions Chelsea have reportedly made a €60M bid for Napoli defender Kalidou Kouilbaly, according to the Daily Star. Antonio Conte has identified the Senegalese as the perfect replacement to the outgoing John Terry.
Koulibaly’s agent had earlier stated that the player could move in the summer, "Koulibaly? The transfer market is long as it will be open until August 31, something might happen before then," the agent said. "Chelsea? They are a world-class team that many players would like to join but I don't want to talk about this now."
In case you didn’t know...
Napoli were subjected to a £40M bid for their star defender by Chelsea last summer, which they rejected. Chelsea eventually turned their interest to former player David Luiz, who had a sensational season in which he helped Chelsea to the league title. He was lauded for being sensible and commanding on the ball.
However, Conte has reportedly re-ignited his interest in the defender to build a squad that can cope with the demands of a Premier League title defence as well as Champions League football next season.
However, Napoli are ready to play hardball for their prized asset who joined the Serie A club from Genk in 2014 and had previously stated that they would like to keep their best players to mount a serious challenge for the league title next season.
Koulibaly made 38 appearances for the club this season as Napoli finished third in the league table, just 5 points away from winners Juventus.
The heart of the matter
Kouliably could fit right into Conte’s trusted 3-4-3 system at Stamford Bridge and will be a valued addition to the side, who face a tough start to their campaign, looking to defend their crown. However, Napoli are expected to hold out for a big sum given the fact that they consider him to be one of their star players who can help them push their rivals for the Serie A title.
With regular reports about Conte’s frustration with the Chelsea board for not being active enough in the transfer window, this deal holds a lot of significance in the future of the relationship between the manager and the club.
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Author’s take
Chelsea have been playing catch up in the transfer window so far compared to their rivals and if they cannot tempt Juventus to sell Bonucci then Koulibaly could be an ideal fit for the Premier League champions’ aspirations.
Also Read: Reports: Real Madrid and Chelsea close to agreeing £65 million transfer
