Kalidou Koulibaly’s agent Fali Ramadani has informed Chelsea of the price they would have to pay for the defender, according to reports.
One of Chelsea’s highest priorities in this summer transfer window is acquiring new defenders to rebuild their backline.
Having lost the services of Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid on a free, Andreas Christensen being unveiled as a Barcelona player, and captain Cesar Azpilicueta potentially following his former Danish teammate to the Catalan club, Chelsea drastically need to sort out their defence.
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Chelsea flew off to America for their pre-season tour on Saturday in preparation for the new Premier League season that starts in just under a month and are yet to make a single signing.
Blues fans have had to be patient up to this stage, but it looks as though some deals could be close to completion.
Raheem Sterling has put pen to paper for a five-year-deal with Chelsea and a transfer fee of £47.5 million has been agreed with Manchester City.
The drama with Brazilian ace Raphinha is still unravelling but the latest reports suggest that Leeds United are growing more frustrated with Barcelona which may leave the door open for Chelsea who remain the only club to have a bid accepted.
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While both Raphinha and Sterling would be statement signings from the Blues this summer, the question remains who will they sign to bolster the defence.
Nathan Ake looks to have moved into the number one spot, with head coach Thomas Tuchel previously stating that he is a ‘key figure’ in the rebuild.
Matthijs de Ligt has been another name the Blues have been linked with all summer, but Chelsea face competition from Bayern Munich for the signing.
Neither side have launched an official bid, but it is believed that De Ligt would be keen for a switch to the Bundesliga despite being an admirer of the way Tuchel gets the best out of defenders.
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There are other options on the table though, including Napoli’s Koulibaly.
The Senegalese defender is 31-years-old and has just one year remaining on his contract.
According to Corriere Dello Sport, his agent, Ramadani has informed the Blues that they would have to pay €40 million to sign him this summer.
They also have reported that Koulibaly is set to meet with Napoli this week to discuss his potential exit after he declined an offer from president Aurelio de Laurentiis due to knowing he is ‘in demand’ in the transfer market.
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A move could see him link up with national side teammate Edouard Mendy as the west London side look to reform their defence.
Chelsea and Barcelona are both considering a deal, and Juventus are interested but Napoli have no desire to sell to a rival and the player has no intentions to move to Turin.
Should Napoli hold onto him this summer, they risk losing him for nothing next summer, so it may be worth letting him go should someone offer the right price.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Kalidou Koulibaly, Napoli, Transfers, Football, Premier League