Central defender Kalidou Koulibaly (Chelsea), who was a living legend at Napoli and has been rumored to be on his way out after failing to establish himself at Chelsea, may go to Saudi Arabia for a huge amount of ‘oil money’.
The British newspaper ‘Daily Mail’ quoted French-based media outlet ‘Sport Zone’ as saying on the 13th (KST), ‘Koulibaly could leave for Al Ittihad. An offer is believed to have been made recently.
Koulibaly joined Chelsea last summer from Napoli in a £33 million (52.6 billion won) transfer. He was a longtime Napoli player and had been linked with a move away since the summer of 2021. Koulibaly stayed loyal and headed to Chelsea with the arrival of Kim Min-jae.안전놀이터
However, he had the worst time of his career. He was sacked by managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter and played under substitutes Benoit Salah and Frank Lampard, but he never looked at 100% of his best.
The arrival of Mauricio Pochettino presents a new opportunity for Koulibaly, but it also raises some questions. Pochettino prioritizes speed and the ability to compete for aerial balls in central defense. This was evident during his time at Tottenham Hotspur, when he utilized the Toby Alderweireld-Jan Vertonghen system.
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund (PIF) has become the majority owner of Newcastle United with an 80 percent stake in the club, as well as owning a number of teams in their own league, and has been snapping up players who have played in Europe’s major leagues. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nasr) played out the season and Karim Benzema left Real Madrid for Al Ittihad.
Kalidou Koulibaly had a difficult season due to injuries. It’s a toss-up between succumbing to the lure of Saudi capital and staying competitive in the Premier League.
Kalidou Koulibaly has had a difficult season with injuries. The lure of Saudi Arabian capital and staying competitive in the Premier League are on the line.
Kalidou Koulibaly has had a difficult season with injuries. The lure of Saudi Arabian capital and staying competitive in the Premier League are on the line.
Kalidou Koulibaly has had a difficult season with injuries. The club is faced with the choice between falling prey to the lure of Saudi capital and remaining competitive in the Premier League.
Al Ittihad is another club that wants Koulibaly. Al Ittihad, the Saudi tigers, are a perennial finalist in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL).
‘Al Ittihad seems to be the favorite to land Koulibaly, but the player could go elsewhere if he wants,’ the source said. Koulibaly is open to transfer discussions for now. In other words, he’s ready to leave Chelsea.
As well as Coulibaly, N’Golo Kante, known as the ‘cute central midfielder’, is also open to a move to the Etihad. With Chelsea accelerating their squad overhaul by clearing out the squad and reinvesting heavily, Koulibaly could be one of the players to go, depending on the circumstances.
Koulibaly is contracted to Chelsea until the summer of 2026, but Juventus have been rumored to be interested throughout the season. However, a return to Serie A would not change the fact that Coulibaly is still a Napoli player, so a move to Juventus is unlikely. A move to Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, would be attractive given the longevity of the player and the huge salary. Coulibaly is torn between the money and the will to survive in the big leagues.