Why Kalidou Koulibaly has the potential to be Chelsea’s best ever signing from Serie A

Chelsea have made a habit of raiding Serie A for new signings over the last 20 years, but Kalidou Koulibaly could prove to be the best yet. 

Andriy Shevchenko, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso, Hernan Crespo and many others have made the move to Stamford Bridge but Koulibaly is a statement arrival and will radically change the make up of Thomas Tuchel’s team. 

The defender was keen on a move to the Premier League, with Tuchel a big factor in encouraging him to reject Juventus and instead sign a four-year contract with the Blues. 

A perfect Rudiger replacement 

After Antonio Rudiger’s departure to Real Madrid, the German coach searched far and wide for a new centre-back who had both the quality and the mentality to play for Chelsea. 

While Koulibaly may take time to adapt to England and the Premier League, he could quickly become an irreplaceable leader in the backline.  

The Senegalese international is the ideal player for the Blues and has all the qualities necessary to star in the Premier League. He made more than 300 appearances in a Napoli shirt and is capable of being Rudiger’s successor in west London.

Koulibaly made it clear he wanted to leave Napoli this summer as he has ambitions to be regularly competing for Europe’s biggest prizes. Chelsea was immediately his preferred destination. 

The Senegalese international has the potential to be Chelsea’s best ever signing from Serie A

Koulibaly has the attributes to be a successor to Antonio Rudiger, who has joined Real Madrid

Along with Mo Salah and Sadio Mane, the defender has been named on the shortlist for the African Player of the Year award, which will be announced later this month. The continent’s greatest ever players have spent time in England and Koulibaly will feel this move helps him edge closer to that status.

The Tuchel factor

Tuchel is a manager who has always improved his defenders and Koulibaly dreams of becoming the best centre-back in the world under the German. 

There is also the desire to win trophies. He is 31 years old and yet to win a league title, but has ambitions of winning the Premier League and Champions League.  

Thomas Tuchel was a big reason why Koulibaly decided to join the Blues this summer

Koulibaly has spent nearly all of his career playing in a back four, but switching to a back three at Chelsea is not something that worries him. The chance to learn new things in a new country was tempting and Koulibaly wants to improve by leaving his comfort zone.  

His technical and tactical qualities are very similar to those of Rudiger and at 31 the time has come to measure himself in a more difficult and competitive environment such as that of the Premier League.

Rejecting Juventus 

Due to the historic rivalry between Napoli and Juventus, Koulibaly has repeatedly turned down a move to Turin as he would have felt as though he was betraying Gli Azzurri and their fans after spending eight years at the club and being named captain.

The defender turned down a move to Juventus in order to preserve his icon status in Naples

The defender is convinced that Chelsea are the best club for the progression of his career and at 31 years old it is perhaps his last big chance to play for an elite club. 

More than anything else though, his greatest desire is not to betray the city he loved most. He wishes to be remembered as an icon of Naples and not go down the same path as Gonzalo Higuain, who left the club to join Juve. 

There is hope that Koulibaly can return to Napoli one day to thank the club for the time he spent there. For now though, he is fulfilling a life-long dream of playing in the Premier League.