Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the hottest properties on the football market at the moment. Despite all of Napoli’s protestations that their key man is not for sale, it’s clear all it will take for the big defender to be on his way is the right price. One club that really needs Koulibaly’s services and can also afford a huge fee is Manchester United.
The Senegalese is one of the best central defenders in the game at the moment. But his time at Napoli has failed to yield any silverware. The Naples-based side has had to queue behind serial winners Juventus as Massimiliano Allegri’s team continues to dominate Italy.
After emerging as one of Maurizio Sarri’s most trusted players while the Chelsea boss was in charge of the team, he has continued to be a key member of the squad under Carlo Ancellotti. Yes, the team will most likely finish in the top four in Serie A as they are the closest followers behind Juventus. But nothing suggests things will be any different than they have been in the last few years at the club.
They are not expected to win the Scudetto with the Old Lady’s grip getting even tighter with the addition of Cristiano Ronaldo to the squad. Neither is the club a candidate for silverware on the continent. The recent failure to secure even a draw against Liverpool that would have seen the side progress to the next stage of the Champions League speaks to that.
The club has now developed a bad habit of capitulating at crucial moments. When it matters most, Napoli now finds a way to bottle it. Falling short has become a common occurrence. Of course, things can always change. But it looks very unlikely at the moment. Ambitious players who feel they deserve more than go through their careers with no silverware when their less endowed counterparts are flying elsewhere will seek a move away.
Some others use any available opportunity to switch clubs. Such is the case with Jorginho who followed his manager to England. For all his talent, Koulibaly should be looking for such an opportunity.
Enter Manchester United.
The Red Devils are in dire need of reinforcements at the back, especially at center back. Former manager José Mourinho moaned all season about the lack of top-class center backs at his disposal. The installation of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as interim boss has not changed the need.
The club chased the duo of Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweirald last summer. But Leicester and Tottenham played hard ball. Who wouldn’t have when their prized assets were about to be taken away from them. The close of the transfer window helped end the stand off.
It’s the same scenario with Napoli as the club has practically gone to war with any suitors. But for a team in a critical defensive situation that has seen it only one clean sheet in the league all seeason, signing the Senegal international will represent a huge step forward as far as solving the problem is concerned.
The 27-year-old is solid defender that can also play out from the back. With a passing accuracy rate of 89 percent, good ball control and dribbling skills, he will be an obvious upgrade on the club’s current group.
He is also very good in the air winning an average of 2.4 aerial duels per game. That’s better than Sergio Ramos for example.
Going all out to get the defender will go a long way to solve United’s defensive problems.
