Kalidou Koulibaly wants to leave Napoli as Everton make approach
Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly wants to leave the Italian outfit this summer amid interest from Everton, according to Soccer Link.
The French news outlet, which ha almost 40,000 Twitter followers and is followed by some of the most reliable French football journalists, claim that the Senegalese international has been approached by the Toffees and Paris Saint-Germain in recent weeks.
However, the fee Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis is asking is putting both suitors off.
Soccer Link posted on their Twitter account: “Kalidou Koulibaly wants to leave Napoli. The Senegalese has been approached in recent weeks by Everton and PSG.
“Leonardo has already met his agents, but the sum requested by Laurentiis is considered ‘unreal’ by the clubs concerned.”
Tough deal to seal
Laurentiis is a tough negotiator and is not likely to let one of Napoli’s best players leave easily.
Everton want to strengthen at the back, and Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Manchester United would have made manager Rafa Benitez stress the importance of signing a quality centre-back this summer to the board.
A reunion between the Spaniard and Koulibaly at Goodison Park would be huge, but we doubt its chances of happening given Napoli’s demands and PSG.
Lionel Messi has been widely tipped to join the French giants after leaving Barcelona as a free agent, and should that happen, the France-born defender would be very keen to move to Parc des Princes ahead of Goodison Park.
Truth be told, playing Champions League football alongside one of the best players in history while winning domestic silverware every season is definitely more attractive than joining Everton.
Additionally, we cannot match the wages and the glamour that comes with playing for such a side.
Should Koulibaly force his way out of Napoli this summer, he would most likely be heading to PSG, and Benitez needs to start looking elsewhere for a quality centre-back.
In other Everton news, Toffees star certain to miss PL opener v Southampton, English ace is a doubt.
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