Chelsea confirm signing of Senegalese centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli on four-year deal

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli as the club's second deal since the Todd Boehly-led takeover. The Blues and their coach Thomas Tuchel have made new centre-backs their priority during the summer transfer window following the free transfer departures of Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger to Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Ad/> And they have got one reinforcement through the door in the 31-year-old Koulibaly, with others — such as Nathan Ake and Presnel Kimpembe — still potentially to come.

Transfers‘It is not the priority’ – Tuchel plays down links with a swoop for Ronaldo14/07/2022 AT 08:06 Those further arrivals are made all the more likely given there may yet be more defensive exits from Stamford Bridge in the coming weeks, with Cesar Azpilicueta continuing to be linked with a move to join Christensen at Barcelona. Koulibaly, given an impressive eight-year stint in Italy, has long been a feature of gossip columns linking him with a big move away, and now he finally has it. His contract with Napoli expired next summer but Chelsea have decided to act now given their pressing defensive needs.

«I'm very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea,» said Koulibaly. /> «It's a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League. Chelsea came first to get me in 2016 but we didn't make it.