With Barcelona planning to add another top-class centre-back to their ranks in the summer, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly seems to have emerged as one of the main targets for the club.
The 30-year-old has been with Napoli since 2014 and has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Europe, delivering top-quality performances on a consistent basis for the Partenopei over the years.
However, Koulibaly will be entering the final year of his contract with the Serie A giants this summer and an exit could be on the cards.
Barcelona have emerged as a suitor for the Senegalese international, who won the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. In fact, reports in Italy have claimed that the Catalans have a strong, concrete interest in Koulibaly and the club could launch a move for him imminently.
Indeed Sky Sport (h/t SPORT) claim that Koulibaly will not continue at Napoli beyond the current season, as he does not wish to sign a new contract at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Considering that they could risk losing him for nothing next year, Napoli have decided to place their defensive mainstay on the market this summer. It further adds that Barcelona are the best placed to secure the signing of the former Genk centre-half in the summer.
Koulibaly has been linked with an exit from Napoli on several occasions in the past, but a move was always blocked by the outrageous financial demands of club president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
But considering that he will have only one year left on his contract, the Partenopei are likely to demand a sum of just €25-30 million to sell Koulibaly at the end of the season.
Given that finances are tight and the club are prioritising a move for Robert Lewandowski first, it remains to be seen if Barcelona are willing to spend close to €30 million to secure the signing of Koulibaly in the summer.
