Chelsea owner, Todd Boehly has revealed one of his first signings at the club, Kalidou Koulibaly failed because he couldn’t cope with the demands of the Premier League.
One of the most significant acquisitions made by the American consortium shortly after they took control at Stamford Bridge was the Senegalese defender, who started their lavish spending. Raheem Sterling, Wesley Fofana, and Koulibaly were among the players the club acquired during the transfer window under Thomas Tuchel.
Chelsea turned to the former Napoli player, who was considered as one of the best centre-backs in the world while playing in Serie A.
The deal came to fruition when they were in need of a defensive leader after losing Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid. Boehly acknowledges that Koulibaly told him he needs to adjust to the English game’s increased pace, something he found difficult to do.
The Blues decided to cash in after just a year as a result. After only 23 Premier League games for Chelsea, the defender left for Saudi Arabia for £20 million, £13m less than what Chelsea had paid for him.
What Did Boehly Say About Koulibaly?
According to The Mirror, Boehly said: “There’s no bigger sport in the world. When you think about just the size and scale of European football, it’s just mind-numbing and there’s no better league in the world in the Premier League.
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“If you look at how these guys play, the speed with which they play the game.
“One of my players who I had a great relationship with is Kalidou Koulibaly. Koulibaly came over from Serie A (where he played for Napoli) and he told me one time, ‘In Serie A, I get to think and then run but in the Premier League, I have to run while I think, and I’m still adjusting to that’.”
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