Chelsea star Kalidou Koulibaly considering interest from Saudi Club Al-Ittihad
Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has been approached by Saudi club Al-Ittihad, and could be tempted to make a switch to the middle east.
According to Sports Zone, (h/t Daily Mail) the former Napoli defender has been offered the opportunity to play for Al-Ittihad and could leave West London after just one season.
The 31-year-old joined Chelsea in the previous summer window for £34 million but couldn’t make an impression, and now the Blues are considering selling him. He, after all, looks a pale shadow of the colossus who dominated Serie A.
Injuries also limited his game time, and now the Public Investment Fund, which has invested in many clubs and also owns 80% of Newcastle United, wants the centre-back to develop the project. It could prove to be a lucrative deal for the defender, whose game is on the wane.
Al-Ittihad are the potential destination for the Senegalese, but he can also wish to join a different club. It is understood that Koulibaly is open to discussion about the move.
Juventus are another club linked with a move for Koulibaly, and with the centre-back enduring a rough season, he can be offloaded by the Blues. Chelsea are also expected to trim down their bloated squad, and the Senegalese international has been among the players who can be sold in the summer window. We would not begrudge a handsome offer from the middle east that will make our job of a summer rebuild all the more easy.
Even if Koulibaly stays, Mauricio Pochettino could choose young players, and could be inclined to limit the veteran’s game time. Levi Colwill’s arrival could also limit the 31-year-old’s opportunities as well, given that the youngster had a successful stint with Brighton Hove Albion and has hiss tock on the rise.
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The former Paris Saint-Germain manager will have more headaches in defence given that it is stacked with Wesely Fofana, Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, and Benoit Badiashile. With younger, fitter options available, the time might be rife for the Blues to cash in on Koulibaly.