Barcelona and Chelsea following Napoli defender Koulibaly

Napoli are open to selling Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer, with Aurelio De Laurentiis waiting for the right offer for the Senegalese defender.

According to Il Mattino, the approaching summer transfer window will be a decisive one for Kalidou Koulibaly, with both Barcelona and Chelsea keeping tabs on Kalidou Koulibaly.

The report understands that Barca doesn’t have the financial pull required to get a potential deal over the line, while Chelsea remain an interested party in the hunt for the 30-year-old.

Despite struggling with fitness issues, Koulibaly, when fit, has been commendable for Napoli this season. It was reported some time ago that the Naples-based side was close to reaching a contract renewal for the defender.

Currently bound to Napoli’s terms until June 2023, the African centre-half has already made 32 appearances across all competitions this campaign. Chelsea have recently lost Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid and Andreas Christensen to Barcelona, making the Londoners out of depth at the back.

As of now, they cannot make new signings, owing to the sanctions placed by the UK government on Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. Before launching a bid for Koulibaly, the club needs a new owner at the top, upping the level of complexity in a potential deal.

Above all, De Laurentiis awaits the right offer as the 2022 summer could be his last chance to accumulate a meaningful amount from the defender’s departure.

Jyotirmoy Halder

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