In a recent report, Gazzetta dello Sport revealed that Manchester City target Kalidou Koulibaly’s agent Fali Ramadani is set to offer an update on his client’s future on Saturday. However, a lot will depend on whether Pep Guardiola’s side decides to match Napoli’s €70m price-tag or at least make an offer close to that valuation for the Senegalese captain this summer (via Gazzetta dello Sport).
Koulibaly’s Decent Run Of Form At The San Paolo Stadium
Koulibaly had another dominant campaign in Italian football despite being ravaged by injuries over the past year. He enjoyed a rich vein of form at Naples but failed to help his side win any silverware last season. The Senegalese powerhouse made 34 appearances for Gennaro Gattuso’s team in the previous term, receiving nine yellow cards and one red card across all competitions.
Even though the Serie A star has an unappealing disciplinary record, yet he has performed at a high level on the defensive third of the field after averaging 2.0 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 2.4 clearances and 4.6 long balls per game in top-flight football. Koulibaly justified his worth as a ball-playing centre-back as he completed 91.4% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
The 29-year-old is considered amongst the best defenders in European football at the moment because of his ability to command his penalty box with confidence and authority. He could be tempted with the possibility of joining Man City this summer as it will give him a realistic chance of winning some silverware in the coming seasons.
What Are The Senegalese International’s Greatest Strengths?
Koulibaly leads his team by example and has shown just how unstoppable he can be at the heart of the Napoli defence. He is a brilliant tackler and tends to make a few essential interceptions for his side when called into action. The former Genk defensive ace is also not shy of clearing his lines when trying to deal with the opponent’s crosses from the wide areas. He possesses the strength to overpower the opposition attackers inside his half which also goes to show how he wins so many important headers at the back.
What Should Be Pep Guardiola’s Play Here?
If Man City are willing to break the bank to bring Koulibaly to the north-west of England, then they should consider doing so as soon as possible so that Pep Guardiola has the chance to offer the player the time to settle into his starting XI in the first half of the 2020-21 Premier League campaign.
Koulibaly will be a significant upgrade over any of Guardiola’s current centre-back options and could go a long way in helping them reclaim their Premier League crown from Liverpool next season. Hence, the Mancunian outfit should try everything they can to get the transfer over the line in the coming weeks before the transfer window slams shut next month.
