GN View: Everton target Kalidou Koulibaly reportedly set to sign Napoli extension
The chances of Everton signing Kalidou Koulibaly are set to end as the Senegalese defender is planning to sign a new contract at Napoli, say Calcio News 24.
The newly-crowned African Cup of Nations champion was reported to be a Toffees target in the summer (Express), as then-manager Rafael Benitez had previously worked with him in Serie A.
And recently it was reported by Il Mattino that approaches had been to the Naples side in January for the centre-back and attacker Victor Osimhen, which were rejected at this stage of the season but there were hopes a move could be revisited in the summer.
But that looks to be off the table now, as the defender that Erling Braut Haaland named as one of the top three in the world a year ago (VG) is set to become “the flag” and the new captain at the Serie A side according to Calcio News 24.
Door closing
It was always going to be difficult to tempt the quality centre-back to Merseyside considering his love for Napoli, and with Luciano Spaletti’s side just a point off the top of the league a January move was impossible.
But with fortunes apparently lifting around Everton with the arrival of Frank Lampard it would have been a fantastic summer signing.
Fabrizio Romano told Que Golazo following the end of the transfer window that the Toffees had been hoping to add a defender in January but ran out of time after the managerial search.
Koulibaly’s international teammate Abdou Diallo was the target that the Italian journalist mentioned so that may still be an option from PSG, but his illustrious countryman appears to now be impossible.
Defensively there have been issues this season, and it has been exactly three months since the club last kept a clean sheet.
Fortunes may improve under the new manager, but his reputation is not one for being defensively impenetrable so top quality additions may be needed.
Lampard saw an improvement in his backline at Chelsea with the signing of veteran Thiago Silva, but it seems Koulibaly will not be his Goodison equivalent.
In other Everton news, one current defender has told of being “in awe” of his new manager and one coach.