Arsenal’s long-term target is being linked with their rivals Chelsea and it seems that they are now in the lead to sign Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Arsenal has shown interest in him since 2016 as they were looking to replace Per Mertesacker but they later went on to sign Shkodran Mustafi. Mustafi has been struggling for Arsenal and it seems that it could be the right time for Arsenal to reignite their interest back on the Naples defender.
With Chelsea coming into the picture and their financial prowess, Chelsea can have their man. Chelsea this season have struggled defensively under Antonio Conte who guided them to the Premier League title last season. Chelsea’s title-winning season was built on a solid defense which was tough to score against but this season they have certainly lacked in that department.
Like Arsenal, they are also very likely to miss out on the coveted Champions League berth. Chelsea’s defence has been their strength and under Conte last year it was pretty much the same. Bu this year they have struggled as the experienced player like Gary Cahill and David Luiz have had a bad season. Currently, Conte prefers the young Christensen and Antonio Rudiger at the back and it is understandable why they are looking at Koulibaly for defensive stability
The Senegalese is a powerhouse of a defender and is relatively quick given his tall stature. In the 2016-17 season, the defender made 28 appearances for the Italian side and made 27 blocks, 64 interceptions and 123 clearances. He stands in at 6’5 and one would expect that with such height he would not be that good on his feet but that is not the case with Koulibaly as he is comfortable on the ball and is a good defender to play out from the back.
One shortcoming is that he is prone to some costly errors once in a while and at 26 one would expect him to not make those errors. He can certainly improve Chelsea who will be in need of some stability this season.
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He has a contract up until 2021 and will surely not come in cheap. He might take some time to get used to the dynamics of Premier League football but gives his size, skills and abilities he is most likely to have a good stint in the Premier League.
