In a recent report, Calciomercato stated that Everton have launched an opening bid to land Napoli powerhouse Kalidou Koulibaly this summer. It is believed that the Toffees have already made an approach to bring the Senegal international to Goodison Park in this off-season (via Calciomercato).
Koulibaly’s Impressive Season At Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Koulibaly experienced another solid campaign at Naples as he continued to perform at a high level in Serie A football. The 30-year-old scored one goal and picked up 12 yellow cards in 37 matches for Napoli last season in all competitions.
The experienced centre-back gave a good account of himself on the defensive end of the pitch by averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 2.4 clearances and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A and the UEFA Europa League. He even distributed the ball accurately from the back after completing 89.1% of his attempted passes in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
Koulibaly has proven his worth as a world-class player in his position over the past few seasons. The ex-Metz powerhouse just has two years remaining in his Napoli contract. Hence, he will be a massive addition to Everton’s squad if Rafael Benitez can figure out a way to agree on a fee with Napoli for his transfer during this summer transfer window.
What Will The Senegalese Defensive Ace Add To Benitez’s Team?
Koulibaly is a great tackler of the ball and can use his strength to outmuscle the opposition and earn possession back for his side. He is proficient at scanning the danger quickly and can clear his lines when the opposition are looking to threaten on the counter. Koulibaly can even put his body on the line to block a goal-bound shot from the opposition and come to his side’s rescue when his teammates need him the most.
The 47-time Senegal international can use his robust 1.87m frame to win some important aerial duels at the back. He can even play his way out from inside his half and is an aerial threat from indirect setpieces. Hence, we can expect him to add a lot of bite and steel to Benitez’s defensive department at Merseyside.
Koulibaly is a class act in central defence and could go on to form a dominant defensive partnership with Michael Keane and Yerry Mina at Goodison Park in the coming seasons. The France-born defender has what it takes to propel Everton to a top-four finish in the upcoming Premier League campaign. He has a wealth of experience at the top level, but there are some concerns over whether he can cope with the high intensity of English football.
