Napoli fans are extremely unhappy with the departure of star centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly as his move to Chelsea edges closer. Recently Fabrizio Romano gave a here we go to Kaliduo Kouliably’s move to Chelsea. The Italians have agreed on a €40m deal with the English side. However, Napoli fans have wasted no time in showing their frustrations.
The 31 years old joined the club in 2014 from Genk. Since then he has managed to establish himself as a star player. He is also considered to be one of the best centre-backs of his generation. Over the years, Napoli have somehow managed to keep him at the club.
The player himself has been extremely loyal to Naples. He himself never agitated for a move, despite Partenopei’s constant failure to challenge for major silverware. Thus the anger of the Napoli fans is very much understandable. The fans are now protesting regarding his move to Chelsea.
In response to protests, the Naples director Cristiano Giuntoli stated that “it is not up to us“. The fans even made comments about Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis’ comments that Koulibaly is not for sale. Despite the promises, it is apparent that the former Genk defender will leave the club. The Partenopei are going through a phase of transition now.
Koulibaly was expected to take the captain’s armband this season. The duo of Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens is also leaving the club. The Italians have introduced a €3.5m salary per season cap on the squad. This is being done to cut the expenses of the club. While the 31 years old was earning around €6 million a year. Thus, the Naples decided to let go of the Senegalese.
What’s next for Kalidou Koulibaly ?
Although the Napoli defender has been a star player in Serie A he is yet to be tested anywhere else. The Premier League is a different pedigree. Thus he along with Chelsea fans will be hopeful that his time at Stamford Bridge does not turn out to be like Romelu Lukaku.
He is also set to earn around €10 m in salaries per season in England. Koulibaly will sign a four-year contract with the Blues with an option to extend it for a year. The former Genk defender is likely to join his new club in The United States of America for the pre-season. As for Napoli fans, Koulibaly will be thankful for their love and support for the player over the years.
