Manchester United target could spark summer bidding war
According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United target Kalidou Koulibaly has been offered a €12m-per-year salary by PSG to leave Napoli.
The Senegalese star has long been a target for some of Europe’s biggest clubs. He has evolved into one of the world’s best center backs in Naples since arriving in 2014.
United have been on his tail for a while now, but their interest was cooled after the record signing of Harry Maguire last summer. However, journalist Fabio Santini recently made a sensational claim on Italian radio that the Red Devils had wrapped up a deal to sign the 28-year-old in the summer.
The latest update linking him to PSG means that the claim was probably false, but United’s desire to sign him might not be.
Napoli are currently in a crisis, having sacked Carlo Ancelotti and dangling in 11th place in Serie A. New coach Gennaro Gattuso hasn’t had much of an impact either.
It’s not surprising then, that some of their best players like Koulibaly and Dries Mertens are being linked with moves away from the club.
PSG sporting director Leonardo is understood to be keen on bringing the former Genk star to the Parc des Princes, and has already approached the player’s representative with personal terms.
The French champions are incessantly hunting for new signings in their quest to claim a first-ever Champions League title.
Apart from United and PSG, Manchester City and Real Madrid are also keeping an eye on Koulibaly’s situation.
The report also claims that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is willing to lower his asking price for the defender from €100 million to €75 million.
That is definitely a bargain for a player of Koulibaly’s caliber. He possesses a unique combination of speed, strength, positioning, passing and tactical sense that would be invaluable for any top European team.
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With so many parties interested and Napoli open to offers, Koulibaly is set to spark a massive bidding war in the summer, and will have a huge decision to make regarding his future.