The Blues complete transfer of Kalidou Koulibaly
Chelsea were in need of a centre-back this summer and the club found Kalidou Koulibaly.
A little about the topic
The Blues have confirmed the transfer of the Senegalese player from Napoli. Kalidou Koulibaly will be part of head coach Thomas Tuchel’s rebuilt defense after the summer departures of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger.
The Senegal captain has been with Napoli since 2014 and has made 26 Champions League appearances, making him the perfect fit for Chelsea, who will be aiming for a deep run in the competition next season. The Blues may consider further strengthening their backline for the rest of the summer, with PSG player Presnel Kimpembe and Matthijs de Ligt having been heavily linked over the past month.
The Blues will pay £34m to complete the deal for the Senegalese player, including add-ons. Kalidou Koulibaly, who captained his country to the Africa Cup of Nations glory back in February, has signed a four-year deal in west London until the summer of 2026. The Senegalese player will earn an annual salary of around £8.5m during his time at Stamford Bridge.
What did Kalidou Koulibaly say?
A big cash addition to Thomas’ ranks told Chelsea’s official west London website that he is very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea. This is the biggest team in the world and it has always been his dream to play in PL. According to Kalidou Koulibaly, Chelsea came first to get him in 2016, but they didn’t succeed. Now that they came to him, he accepted it because they really wanted him to come to PL to play for them.
When Koulibaly spoke to his good friends Jorginho and Edou, they made the choice easier for him, so he is very happy to be with them today. Kalidou wants to thank the fans because he saw a lot of them in London and everyone on the plane was happy that he was here. Kalidou Koulibaly says he wants to thank them and hopes the season will be really good and they will give some good moments to the fans.
Why did the Blues choose Kalidou Koulibaly?
After losing starting center back Antonio Rüdiger on a free transfer to Real Madrid earlier this summer, and Danish star Andreas Christensen on a free transfer to Barcelona, it’s imperative that the Blues make a move for at least one famous defender during the transfer window. Brazilian footballer Thiago Silva, another frequenter of Thomas’ defence, will turn 38 in September and is believed to be nearing the end of his European career.
Kalidou should bring confidence to the back and help the team stay competitive for big awards despite high-profile crashes. Kalidou Koulibaly has been considered one of the standout defenders in Europe for several years now and has also been a transfer target for the Bianconeri and Barcelona this summer.