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It has been quite an eventful week for Chelsea fans, with tons of positive news.
It was reported that Raheem Sterling was likely to leave England and join his teammates in Los Angeles for the pre-season if his transfer to the London outfit was finalized.
The Guardian have also reported that the club had also enquired about the availability of Serge Gnabry and Rafael Leão.
There was also good news regarding the potential signing of Kalidou Koulibaly. The 31-year-old Senegalese centre-back has one year left on his contract, and according to David Ornstein, his transfer to the club is close to being finalized.
Chelsea will have to pay a €40 million fee for Koulibaly, and he will sign for the Blues bar any last-minute glitches.
Koulibaly would be a brilliant acquisition for Thomas Tuchel and it is the type of move the player has been expected to make for several seasons. We look at three attributes that Koulibaly would bring to the London outfit.
#1 Experience
Chelsea's oldest defender is Thiago Silva, who is 37 while Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso are also expected to leave the club this summer. The remaining defenders are 25-year-old Ben Chilwell, the second-oldest defender, and 23-year-old Trevoh Chalobah, the second-oldest centre-back.
At 31, Koulibaly would be the perfect injection of experience and leadership the team needs following Antonio Rudiger's departure to Real Madrid.
Koulibaly was not only one of Napoli's key players but also the captain of Senegal. He recently led the nation to win the Africa Cup of Nations alongside players like Sadio Mané and Edouard Mendy.
Koulibaly is a model professional, and players like Levi Colwill could learn a lot from him. Koulibaly, much like Thiago Silva, is a calm head that Chelsea's defense could use in the upcoming season.
#2 Versatility
Koulibaly predominantly plays as a left centre-back in a back four or three. That position was previously occupied by Rudiger at Chelsea, and Koulibaly would slot right into the current formation.
Thomas Tuchel has resorted to playing a back three at Chelsea because of the profile of defenders available to him. When called upon, Koulibaly also has the versatility to play on the right-hand side and in the middle of a back three.
Tuchel is currently targeting a wide range of centre-backs and players in the market, so it is hard to get a clear idea about his system for the upcoming season. Regardless of the formation, Koulibaly will be an asset on the pitch.
#3 Ability in possession
Koulibaly is not just a solid defender without the ball but he is also a good distributor in possession and likes to dribble and progress further up the pitch.
Rudiger was known for his marauding runs during the game, and Koulibaly, on paper, could replicate that. Koulibaly also has a larger frame than Rudiger and would be able to handle the physicality of opposition players.
