Mauricio Pochettino has officially taken the helm of Stamford Bridge and is said to announce his arrival soon by restructuring the Blues.
Among the 12 players that Pochettino is planning to offload, Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the top contenders. This may come as a surprise, considering that just a year ago, many agreed on his potential. However, Koulibaly’s poor performances for Chelsea have forced us to face the truth.
Despite this, the former Napoli center-back has no desire to leave London. While some believe he wants to redeem himself and prove his worth in English football, others suggest that the 31-year-old is content with his weekly wage of £295,000.
The Senegal international before joining Chelsea was a sensation in Italian football; one that many strikers used to avoid battling with and even before joining Chelsea, he was being chased by the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United whose inability to sign him was a blessing in disguise.
Why is Kalidou Koulibaly’s exit likely?
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Koulibaly however may have to leave London even if he wishes to stay because the Naples would want him back. Kim Min-jae is expected to join Manchester United this summer; leaving a spot void in the centre-back position. The South Korean has a release clause in his contract and the buy out can only happen fifteen days before July 15, 2023 as the buyout clause will only be available for those fifteen days. The £60 million Asian centre-back is very likely to join the Red Devils who themselves are looking to strengthen their back line.
Despite a plunge in the form of Koulibaly, Napoli still value him as one of the world’s best, courtesy his dominance on the pitch for Naples and they would not mind getting their star performer back donning their jersey.
Kalidou Koulibaly, if not sold, will probably leave Chelsea on loan to Napoli. It would mainly depend on whether the Blues are willing to share his burden of the salary or are totally done with him.
Mauricio Pochettino does not hold Koulibaly in his first team and would rather start with Thiago Silva or Wesley Fofana/Benoit Badiashile leaving Koulibaly with only two options: either stay as a third-choice defender or go and sign back for the club where he was born in front of the whole wide world.
The post Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea revamp: What lies ahead for Kalidou Koulibaly? first appeared on Premier League News Now.
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