[스포티비뉴스=김건일 기자] Kalidou Koulibaly (31), who was called the best defender in the Italian Serie A and entered the English Premier League with great expectations, is in danger of leaving the team after one season.
According to Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian on the 2nd (Korea time), Chelsea have included Koulibaly in the list of players to listen to transfer offers in the summer transfer window.
Koulibaly, who played in 317 games for Napoli and emerged as the best defender in Serie A, wore the Chelsea outfit for a transfer fee of 35 million euros before this season. The number 26, the symbol of defender John Terry, who was a Chelsea legend, was highly anticipated.
However, it is assessed that the performance does not meet expectations along with frequent errors. He started in 12 of Chelsea’s 20 games, and in the 19th round against Crystal Palace, he played as a left-back instead of the centre-back, which was his original position, due to an injury to a line player, but even this was in his place. In addition, Koulibaly’s position was further reduced as Chelsea signed Bruno Badiacil in the winter transfer window.
Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport said on the 1st that “Coulibaly can return to Italy.” According to this, Inter Milan are considering Koulibaly as a replacement for Milan Skriniar, whose contract is about to expire.
Koulibaly’s slumping status contrasts with Kim Min-jae, who joined Napoli as a substitute. Kim Min-jae, who was asked if he could fill Koulibaly’s void in his first year in the big leagues, is evaluated as more than Koulibaly with his performances in Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.
Accordingly, love calls from big clubs, including Manchester United, follow, and Napoli are pressing for the renewal of the contract to protect Kim Min-jae.
Gazzetta dello Sport also made a direct comparison, saying, “Napoli had been able to bring Kim Min-jae thanks to Chelsea’s acquisition of Koulibaly in mid-July.”
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