Napoli sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli claims the club will not be lowering their price tag for Kalidou Koulibaly despite the impact of the coronavirus crisis on the club’s finances.
Senegalese international defender has long been rumoured with a move away from Naples after establishing himself as one of the finest defenders in the Italian top-tier and the Liverpool will reportedly be competing with their arch-rivals Man Utd for the 28-year-old’s services in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Recent rumours suggested that Jurgen Klopp had even spoken to Koulibaly on the phone to talk over a move to Merseyside where he would create a potentially formidable partnership with Dutch centre-back, Virgil van Dijk.
However, Napoli have warned teams interested in the Senegal international that they won’t lower the price tag.
‘Kalidou is a great player, who still has a long contract with us,’ Napoli chief Giuntoli told Italian outlet Sky Sport 24.
‘If we were to sell, the club could ask for a large sum.
‘A player like this cannot change his value even in a crisis, so we are not moving our valuation.’
If Koulibaly does depart from Napoli over the coming months, Frank Leboeuf hopes it will be Liverpool instead of Man Utd.
‘I would never ask him to go to Manchester United for many reasons, because I want him to win some stuff and I think Manchester United is not the club that they used to be and are not ready to win stuff,’ the former France and Chelsea centre-back told ESPN.
‘I think Liverpool would be a good fit with Van Dijk, that would be fantastic.
