Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly has opened up on his admiration for Everton manager Rafael Benitez, speaking to DAZN after once again being linked with a move to the Premier League outfit.
Arguably one of the finest centre-halves on the planet, Koulibaly has been hailed as a potential silver bullet to Everton’s defensive deficiencies since early 2020.
That’s to be expected, really, when you hire two former Napoli coaches in succession.
Carlo Ancelotti famously described Koulibaly as the best defender in the world during his time at the Stadio San Paolo, suggesting the Senegal powerhouse wouldn’t be overpriced at €150 million.
It was Benitez who brought Koulibaly to Italy in the first place, however, making the then-Genk youngster his first signing in the Napoli dugout.
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“On my first day in Naples, when I came to sign, I had lunch with Benitez. He immediately lined up 11 glasses and showed me the defenders’ movements and how I should move on the pitch,” explains Koulibaly.
“That year with him was really beautiful for me. I have to thank him because he made me grow so much.
“I also remember, when I was at Genk, he called me saying: ‘I’m Mr Benitez.’ I thought it was a joke of a friend of mine so I hung up.
“I apologised at least a hundred times!”
We can only assume, having spent two years together and sharing a Coppa Italia triumph, Koulibaly would recognise Benitez’s Madrilenian twang should the Everton boss come calling again.
In July, Calciomercato reported Everton had made a bid for the Serie A stopper.
And while Financial Fair Play concerns have limited the club’s ability to make big-money signings since Benitez’s arrival, Koulibaly’s market value has dropped considerably of late with little more than a year left on his contract.
Interestingly, in 2016 Farhad Moshiri confirmed Everton had an offer rejected, claiming Napoli were demanding £60 million.
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