Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has reportedly recieved offers from Saudi Arabia over a potential move to Al-Ittihad this summer.
The defender moved to West London for £34m from Napoli last summer, where he played under Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, and Frank Lampard in his first season as the Blues finished 12th in the Premier League.
After amassing over 300 games for the Serie A champions in an eight-year spell, it was believed that the Senegal international would have a similar influence at Stamford Bridge.
However, according to Sport Zone, Koulibaly has been offered a way out of Chelsea this summer, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund keen on taking the midfielder to the Saudi Pro League.
According to the report, the centre-back could join Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad, a squad that finished second to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nasr this season.
Chelsea may be tempted to part ways with Koulibaly as they attempt to trim their bloated squad ahead of Mauricio Pochettino taking over.
It’s unclear how much Chelsea would demand to let their star defender leave after only one season. If PIF agrees to match the Blues’ demand, Koulibaly might be the next big European player to travel to the Middle East.
See Also: Lionel Messi Delayed At Beijing Airport By Chinese Border Force
Koulibaly appeared in 32 games across all competitions last season, scoring two goals.
He is under contract until 2026 and is thought to be interested in the Saudi Arabian offer in light of the instability of his first year in the Premier League.
Juventus have been linked with a move for Koulibaly, who is thought to be unhappy at Chelsea and might be part of the club’s summer clear-out.
COMMENTS