Reported Everton target Kalidou Koulibaly is struggling to agree to a new deal with Napoli, with discussions going poorly with the Serie A giants.
According to Il Mattino via GIFN, the Senegal international has been offered a contract with a similar annual salary than his previous deal, believed to be €6m (£5m) a year, a figure Koulibaly is unwilling to accept.
Given Napoli’s finances, there is a chance that the Italian club could fail to sign Koulibaly down to a new contract, and this could be welcome news for Everton, who are keen on signing the centre-back.
According to another report from Il Mattino, Everton actually launched a late attempt to sign Koulibaly in the final week of the January transfer window. However, the Toffees were shot down in their attempts to sign the defender.
Koulibaly’s talents are known to Premier League supporters based on Napoli’s exploits in both the UEFA Champions League and Serie A, with the defender playing a momentous role in the club’s steady success in recent years,
Moreover, former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti once labelled Koulibaly as the best in the world, with the Italian saying: “He’s the best in the world in his position. In my opinion, he’s worth £130m.”
Koulibaly would be brilliant signing for Everton this summer
Everton’s defence has needed an upgrade for some time, and in Koulibaly, Frank Lampard’s side have the perfect candidate to improve the backline if they can convince the 30-year-old to sign this summer.
Indeed, the Senegalese centre-back won’t come cheap. However, Koulibaly has proven over the years to be one of the best in his position over the years, and the Serie A star would be a massive coup in Lampard’s ambition to get Everton back on their feet.
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