Former Chelsea star admits he’s stunned at how bad summer signing has been

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Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has admitted he’s as surprised as anyone at how bad Kalidou Koulibaly has been since he joined the Blues from Napoli during the summer transfer window.

The Senegal international was a world class performer for many years in Serie A, but just hasn’t been able to settle into English football based on what we’ve seen so far.

In fairness, it’s not been a great season for anyone at Chelsea, and Leboeuf admits, in his exclusive column with Si & Dan Talk Chelsea that it could be that he’s not benefitting much from having some poor goalkeepers behind him in the form of Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga.

“I’m as stunned as everyone else. I was so happy when he signed. I said ‘yes, that’s the player we need – strong, leader at the back for Napoli, great player, great mentality, alongside Thiago Silva, wow, that’s going to be fantastic’,” Leboeuf said.

Kalidou Koulibaly of Chelsea

“I think Kalidou Koulibaly will be the first one to admit his disappointment. We are all disappointed, because he hasn’t yet fulfilled any expectations. The fact that behind him though, the goalkeepers do not provide too much security with their form lately, doesn’t help.

“But still, I really thought that Chelsea had one of the best central defences this summer with Wesley Fofana, Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, and Koulibaly. But it’s not what’s happened and I’m sad about that.

“Sometimes it takes time to settle in. It was easy for me, I can’t explain why, but I felt so good so early during my time at Chelsea. But sometimes it takes longer for some players to settle down, and if Chelsea have time and try to organise everything, and maybe Kalidou next season is going to be fantastic and show the world that he is still the player Chelsea signed from Napoli.

“I have doubts though and we are all disappointed. I want to believe it’s not the end of it, you don’t lose all your tools like that, it’s impossible. It’s just mentally that he has to fix some stuff, maybe with his family. I think we have to give him a chance to show the world that he’s still a good player.”

Koulibaly might still turn things around at Stamford Bridge, but it would definitely help if others at Chelsea could also get firing, particularly the attacking players like Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who haven’t contributed nearly enough at the other end of the pitch to relieve the pressure on the CFC defence.

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