Kalidou Koulibaly is in London, set to complete his move to Chelsea today
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly has touched down in London to complete his transfer move to Chelsea.
The 31-year-old is one of the most accomplished defenders in Serie A and Europe. However, Koulibaly is finally ready to leave Napoli after eight years, and a deal to join the Premier League is almost complete. The Senegalese star, whose contract with the Partenopei was about to expire, had declined to sign a new one.
Romano previously claimed that Chelsea and Napoli have also agreed to a €40million transfer price plus add-ons for the 31-year-old. That seems like a solid deal for one of the most famous centre-backs in world football right now.
Now, the Italian journalist has stated that the Senegalese star has landed in London to finalise the transfer. He will complete his medical at the club premises and will fly out to Los Angeles to join the rest of the team for pre-season. The Blues could unveil him as a new signing very soon.
If he signs with Chelsea, Koulibaly will follow in the footsteps of Raheem Sterling who moved from bitter rivals Manchester City in a deal estimated to be worth £47.5m. Sterling was Chelsea’s first summer transfer window acquisition.
He still has a lot of quality to offer at the back despite his age. He would be able to assist Chelsea in replacing Antonio Rudiger because he can fill a similar position- not to mention a lot of experience of playing in Italy.
Given how successful Thiago Silva has been despite his advanced age, Chelsea are right not to be discouraged from making a move for the defender. At 31, we can still expect the Senegalese captain, who won the AFCON earlier this year, to go strong for a few more campaigns.
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Even though Koulibaly is a terrific addition, for Chelsea it might not be enough. To make up for the exits of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, as well as the impending departure of Cesar Azpilicueta, more defensive additions are required.
But it’s encouraging to see that after a sluggish start to the transfer season, things are now looking bright for Chelsea, who will probably confirm Koulibaly’s official signing today.