Chelsea will have to pay world-record fee to land Kalidou Koulibaly

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Oct 23, 2017. 16:30

Chelsea coach Antonio Conte has been informed that he will need to pay a world-record transfer fee for a defender if he is to prise Senegal’s Kalidou Koulibaly away from Napoli.

The Teranga Lions defender has long been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, with Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis admitting that he has had to fight hard to keep the 26-year-old at Stadio San Paolo.

Yet the Blues remain keen on signing Koulibaly, with Conte convinced that the West African will strengthen his side’s defence and lay the foundation for future success.

However, Calciomercato reports that Napoli have put a £70million price tag on the player. If that fee is met, it would make Koulibaly the most expensive defender in football history.

The record fee for a defender was broken twice by Manchester City in this past European summer, with the Citizens paying £50-million and £52-million for Kyle Walker and Benjamin Mendy respectively.