Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wants €90m for Kalidou Koulibaly
Speaking to Sky Italia (h/t Metro), Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has revealed that the club will only sell Manchester United target Kalidou Koulibaly for an offer worth €90m.
The 29-year-old Koulibaly has been with Napoli since 2014, having joined from Belgian outfit KRC Genk. During his time at the club, he has grown into one of the most reliable centre-backs in Europe.
The Senegalese international has been a long-time target for Manchester United. The Red Devils had eyed him during Jose Mourinho’s time at the club, and he still continues to be on the radar as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eyes defensive reinforcements. (h/t Metro)
Along with United, our rivals Manchester City and Liverpool are also interested in signing the 29-year-old. However, Napoli president De Laurentiis has insisted that the club will not sell Koulibaly unless the €90m valuation is met. (h/t Metro)
“Everything has a time and a place, even when it comes to going our separate ways. ‘Having said that, we don’t have €90m (£81m) on the table.”
Our defence has considerably improved our the course of the 2019/20 campaign. However, Victor Lindelof doesn’t always seem convincing whereas Eric Bailly’s persistent injury issues mean a new centre-back would serve us well.
Koulibaly, to that end, would have been an ideal addition to the squad. A top-class performer with years of experience at the highest level, he would have strengthened the team a great deal.
However, shelling out as much as €90m on a player who turned 29 last month doesn’t seem to be the most prudent move. More so, considering the current financial climate, coupled with the need to strengthen other positions.