Barcelona defensive target set to join Chelsea in €40 million deal
Earlier in the summer, Xavi Hernandez had confessed his wish to bring in another quality centre-back in addition to Andreas Christensen, amid worries over the longevity of Gerard Pique. The Barcelona coach subsequently identified two desired targets in the form of Jules Kounde and Kalidou Koulibaly. While Kounde was a premium option, not just for Barça but for any top club in Europe, Koulibaly was always seen as a viable cost-effective alternative, who also brings loads of experience to the table. However, according to French journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Barcelona are on the verge of losing out on the pursuit of Koulibaly this summer. It appears the defender is closing in on a move to Chelsea, which could put an end to a long-running transfer saga. Hawkins suggests Koulibaly is expected to sign a three-year contract with the Premier League giants, with the club expected to pay a fee of around €40 million. Chelsea being forced to pay up such a hefty figure comes as no surprise, as they have had to indulge in negotiations with the notorious Aurelio Di Laurentiis. The Napoli president is known for his tough negotiation skills, and it appears he has succeeded in squeezing the most of Koulibaly. The Senegalese international’s current contract at Napoli expires at the end of next season. It had left the Partenopei with no option but to either sanction a sale this summer or let the player leave the club for free in 2023. Barcelona, meanwhile, are unlikely to be fazed by Koulibaly’s move to Chelsea. In fact, the transfer could potentially lead to the Blues relinquishing their pursuit of Kounde, who remains a top target for Barça. Although the Catalans still have a long way to go before they can reach an agreement with Sevilla, there is certainly hope in the Barcelona camp.
Rumour Has It: Kalidou Koulibaly emerges as Chelsea's primary centre-back target
Koulibaly would help fill the gaping hole left by the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, who both opted to head to LaLiga on free transfers as the precarious situation with Roman Abramovich's ownership made it impossible to negotiate contract extensions. The Stamford Bridge side are said to have had interest in Juventus' Matthijs de Ligt and Inter's Milan Skriniar, but with Juventus demanding £102million and Inter holding firm for at least £55m, the 31-year-old Napoli star is now viewed as the best option. TOP STORY – CHELSEA PREPARE MOVE TO BRING KOULIBALY TO STAMFORD BRIDGE Koulibaly is coming off a season where he helped Napoli concede the equal-fewest goals in Serie A – giving up 31 goals in their 38 league games – while he also contributed three goals and three assists in 27 outings. He has played no fewer than 34 games in any of his eight campaigns with Napoli, but he did miss a month of action this past season with a thigh strain – his third consecutive season where he has missed time with muscle strains in his legs. The Mirror's report highlights that Chelsea are also in advanced discussions to land Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and Leeds United's Raphinha, with the plan to sell Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic to fund the moves. ROUND-UP – According to BILD, Borussia Dortmund would need to receive a bid of £103m to consider parting ways with Jude Bellingham in the current transfer window. – 90min is reporting that Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are all interested in Torino's 25-year-old Brazilian centre-back Gleison Bremer, with the Serie A club setting his price at £43m. – Fabrizio Romano reports that Crystal Palace have agreed to an £18m fee for Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure. – According to Todofichajes, West Ham are willing to meet the £34m release clause for Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma. – The Sun is reporting that Arsenal have made a third bid for Ajax's Lisandro Martinez – believed to be valued at £43m – while Talksport claims Manchester United are also trying to reunite the defender with Erik ten Hag. */ ]]> */ ]]> Get breaking news alerts. Allow Notifications You have already subscribed
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