FC Barcelona have upped their search to sign another high-level centre-back. Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly is high on their list of targets but he is expected to cost at least 40 million euros.
According to reports by Spanish outlet AS, FC Barcelona are in advanced talks to sign centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Blaugrana managed to tie down promising centre-back Ronald Araujo on a long-term contract that is set to keep him at the Camp Nou until 2026. They also brought Eric Garcia back to the club from Manchester City on a free transfer last summer and have agreed terms with Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen who is set to join as a free agent once his contract with the London-based club expires this June.
Despite this, the Catalan club continue to explore the market for a high-profile centre-back given their costly lapses at the back in recent years, Gerard Pique’s injury and age as well as a lack of strong and reliable options on the bench.
Because of these reasons, manager Xavi has made Koulibaly his number 1 target and has communicated this to the club’s sporting structure as well, according to AS, who believe that Barcelona are in ‘advanced talks’ with the Senegalese international.
Koulibaly’s current contract with Napoli ends in 2023, therefore, they don’t have enough leverage on him fiscally. Apparently, the player has also requested his agent Fali Ramadani, who has been in contact with personnel from Barcelona, not to agree to a fresh deal with the Neapolitan club.
Koulibaly has been on Barcelona’s radar for quite a while now and he’s believed to be one of the best and most underrated centre-backs in Europe for quite some time. Not only is he physically towering and brings plenty of power and pace, he is also smart and astute and is quite comfortable on the ball, traits that are highly appreciated in a club like Barcelona.
His speed, anticipation of movement as well as aerial abilities also make him quite the package and several people in Camp Nou feel that he is a suitable replacement for Pique who’s well into the final few years of his career. At the age of 30, Koulibaly is also the right person to lead the defence and his signing will also allow Barcelona to continue focusing on youth development.
Koulibaly’s arrival might pave the way for Barcelona to offload French centre-backs Samuel Umtiti and Clement Lenglet. The only roadblock to the deal is the 40 million euro fee that the debt-ridden Spanish giants will have to cough up this summer.
