Chelsea will reportedly offer up to £50m to sign Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, but will wait until next summer to make their move.
As noted by The Sun, the Senegal international was a target for the club this past summer, but having failed on that occasion, they will wait until the end of the season to try again.
That’s down to the fact that Koulibaly will be away for the African Cup of Nations in January, and so Chelsea have decided that they will postpone their raid on the Partenopei for a few months.
It remains to be seen whether or not the £50m offer is enough to convince Napoli to sell though, as The Sun go on to add that the Serie A outfit are looking for a staggering €70m for the commanding centre-half.
They’re certainly in a strong position to play hard ball given he signed a new contract in September which keeps him in Naples until 2021, and so it won’t be easy to test their resolve.
Having proven his class by becoming one of the top defenders in Italy’s top flight over the last two years, it’s no surprise that Conte has been keen on signing Koulibaly and bolstering Chelsea’s defensive options.
With John Terry edging closer to retirement and Branislav Ivanovic’s contract expiring at the end of the season, the Italian tactician will need to oversee changes.
That seemingly starts with Koulibaly becoming a figurehead in defence, and given his characteristics, it would be no surprise to see him flourish in the Premier League if he does indeed make the switch to England.