Newcastle United fans would love to see Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly at St James’ Park.
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez appears to divide clubs wherever he has been at. A bonafide legend at Valencia and Liverpool, one of the most reputable tacticians in world football still probably has to buy his own drinks in the bars of Madrid, Naples, Milan and Chelsea.
Benitez was expected to turn Napoli into genuine Serie A title contenders when he arrived in 2013, but a third and a fifth placed finish – coupled with disappointing displays on the European front – meant few mourned his departure in 2015.
Though one man who does have positive memories of Benitez’s spell in charge at the Stadio San Paolo is centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Senegal defender is said to have admitted that he even hung up on the Spaniard when he called to convince him to swap Genk for Napoli in 2014 believing that he was the subject of a rather cruel wind-up. Once Koulibaly did hear Benitez out, however, he didn’t wait around to seize his big break.
“I came from Belgium, arrived in Italian football and found that it was completely different,” the 22-time international said in quotes reported by Il Napoli Online. “Benitez helped me and it worked out in the end.”
Impossible dream
Newcastle supporters could only dream of Koulibaly, a long-time Premier League target, reuniting with Benitez at St James’ Park.
As long as Mike Ashley remains in charge of Newcastle, however, any potential deal is nigh on impossible – no matter how much the centre-back might owe to the Magpies’ boss.
The Mirror reported that Napoli president Aurelio Di Laurentiis claimed last year that they had rejected £50 million offers from Chelsea for Koulibaly. Considering that Newcastle’s record transfer remains the £17 million they paid for Michael Owen in 2005, they won’t be joining the race any time soon.
Though it does make you wonder about the calibre of players Benitez could bring to Newcastle with more wealthy owners flexing their financial muscle.
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