Kalidou Koulibaly ‘will be a Chelsea player TOMORROW and is flying to London tonight for his medical’ after the Blues struck a £34m deal with Napoli to replace Antonio Rudiger as the second signing of Todd Boehly’s era
- Chelsea are closing in on a £34m deal for Kalidou Koulibaly according to reports
- The Napoli defender is reportedly preparing to take a private jet to west London
- It is believed that Koulibaly will undergo his Chelsea medical on Thursday
- Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti has told his players the deal is ‘almost done’
Kalidou Koulibaly is preparing to take a private jet to London tonight so that he can complete his Chelsea medical tomorrow, according to reports.
The Senegalese defender is expected to sign for the west London club for £34million tomorrow following an eight year spell with Italian giants Napoli.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has been eager to strengthen in defence following the departures of Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid and Andreas Christensen to Barcelona earlier this month.
Kalidou Koulibaly is ‘set to take a private yet to Chelsea to undergo his medical on Thursday’
The Senegalese captain is reportedly ready to pen a €6m-a-year deal at the west London club
Having reportedly considered moves for Manchester City centre-half Nathan Ake and Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe, the Blues are now on the brink of adding experienced 31-year-old Koulibaly to the fold.
According to Sky Sport Italia, the Senegal captain is primed to take a private jet to west London ahead of his medical at Stamford Bridge on Thursday.
Reports from Italy claim the 31-year-old is ready to pen a €6m per year deal at Chelsea following a successful medical.
Thomas Tuchel needed a centre-back after losing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen
Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti told his players earlier this week that ‘Koulibaly is almost gone’ and that he would exit the club this summer, Il Corriere dello Sport have reported.
Amid initial links with Barcelona, Koulibaly ‘rejected a contract extension with Napoli’, leaving the Italian club little choice but to arrange an exit as he entered the final year of his deal.
The centre-half’s flight to London caps off a busy day of transfer activity for Chelsea, after Raheem Sterling all but confirmed his £50m move to Stamford Bridge with an emotional farewell message to Manchester City.
Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti ‘told his players that Koulibaly was leaving earlier this week’
Chelsea are also on the verge of signing 18-year-old goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina from Chicago Fire, who is expected to return on loan to the MLS side next season.
Koulibaly played 27 times for Napoli last season as the Italian club secured Champions League qualification and claimed third spot behind AC Milan and Inter.
He scored three and assisted three in Serie A last campaign, matching Rudiger’s contribution from defence for Chelsea.
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