According to a recent report by French news outlet Le10 Sport, Premier League giants Newcastle United are said to have tabled a ‘big offer’ for the services of Napoli centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly, with the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain also interested in the defender’s signature. The report suggests that the Serie A ace is currently on the lookout for potential transfer proposals, with a view of forcing a move away from Naples during the upcoming summer window.
The Parisian interest is said to have slightly dropped owing to the sheer magnitude of his transfer fee and salary demands, with the Ligue 1 side now considering offering Thiago Silva an extension. The Senegalese defender’s preferred landing spot would be the Premier League and despite the interest from the league champions, the standing offer came from Newcastle United. It has been clarified that the Magpies have even sent him a salary proposal and that he could end up earning up to €12m if he decided to move to Tyneside.
Why Are Manchester City On The Hunt For New Defenders?
The Citizens’ league season was undoubtedly one to forget this time around, as they struggled to maintain any level of consistency for more than a few games in a row. Considering that this is the same team that blew the competition away last time out, fingers will be pointed towards the defenders in the squad. There has been no lack of attacking creativity, and the number of goals they’ve scored along the campaign proves that. At the back though, the issues have begun to pile up.
Centre-half is undoubtedly Pep Guardiola’s most significant position of concern during the summer transfer window, as finding an able partner for Aymeric Laporte has the potential to make or break their season. While the likes of Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones have filled in to a certain degree, their general lack of conviction in high-pressure situations makes it a risk to start them in any tie.
Moreover, Guardiola’s decision to use Fernandinho as the first-choice defender in Laporte’s absence is a strong indicator of what the gaffer actually thinks of his alternate defensive options.
What Makes Koulibaly Such An Attractive Prospect?
The Senegalese international has been one of the most sought-after defenders in world football over the last few years, and the fact that he’s still a Napoli player is surprising. A monster in the air, the Serie A man is adept at clearing and dealing with crosses into the box, while his intelligence and general positioning allow him to read the opposition’s attacking play effectively. The Napoli defender tends to be a threat from set-pieces in an attacking sense as well, while his sheer physical prowess could indeed be well suited to the feisty nature of the Premier League.
Why Manchester City Must Beat Newcastle To His Signature?
In Aymeric Laporte, Manchester City boast arguably one of the best ball-playing centre-halves in the whole continent, but finding a capable partner for him has been a lingering issue. The number of teams who’ve been linked with moves for Koulibaly in the past extends into double figures, and there’s absolutely no doubt about his overall quality on the ball.
While a move to Tyneside would probably sound better to the Senegal international monetarily, a switch to the Etihad Stadium would be the transfer that Koulibaly needs to make to start winning trophies immediately.
