Barcelona Transfer News: Kalidou Koulibaly, who is a transfer target for Barcelona ahead of the summer transfer window, has allegedly been valued at €70m by Napoli, according to reports.
Barcelona Transfer News: As reported by the Spanish daily Mundo Deportivo, if Barcelona wants to buy Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli during the summer transfer window, they would have to spend at least €70m.
Koulibaly has been a member of the Napoli squad since 2014 when he joined from Belgian club KRC Genk. While playing with the Partenopei for over eight years, the 30-year-old has established himself as one of the best defenders in Europe. Over the years, there have been stories linking him with a transfer to a more prestigious team. But he has chosen to remain at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
As things stand, Koulibaly will reach the last year of his contract with Napoli after this season. A renewal does not seem to be in the cards at this time. Thus, the Senegal international, who just won the Africa Cup of Nations, has emerged as a transfer target for several European powers. Including Barcelona, who have shown interest in signing him.
Interested parties in Koulibaly include Barcelona. They are looking to replace Clement Lenglet and Samuel Umtiti. Both of whom have fallen the pecking order at the Camp Nou. In addition, Gerard Pique has reached the end of his playing career. There have been rumours that the experienced defender may be contemplating retirement as a result of the situation.
In such a case, the addition of an experienced defender with a proven track record would be required to provide competition for youngsters such as Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia. Koulibaly, to that end, has emerged as a potential alternative for the Blaugrana. But they will have to ward off competition from arch-rivals Real Madrid.
What will Barcelona decide regarding Koulibaly?
Koulibaly will reach the last year of his contract after the season. As per reports, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is unlikely to authorise a transfer unless he gets a figure of €70m in compensation. If the club’s president does not budge from his position, Barcelona will almost certainly abandon their pursuit of the 30-year-old defender. Since they do not want to spend so much money on him.
The Catalan giants have several additional alternatives on their radar. Chelsea duo Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen are high on their list of targets. Because both players will be available on free transfers in the summer. In addition, Sevilla’s Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt are also probable choices under discussion. It still remains to be seen which player Barcelona will sign in the summer transfer window.
More than two months after taking over as coach of Napoli, Luciano Spalletti saw that Kalidou Koulibaly was something remarkable.
According to the Italian, “I have never worked with someone so excellent. Not just as a player, but also as a guy,” he told the reporters in July of last year.
When it seemed that club president Aurelio De Laurentiis was finally ready to cash on his most valuable asset, it was a welcome development.
