Juventus have reportedly set their sights on rumoured Tottenham target Kalidou Koulibaly should Chelsea sign Matthijs de Ligt this summer, a deal that is gaining traction with each new day.
According to La Stampa via GIFN, Napoli are open to selling their star defender this window with time slowly running out for the Serie A side to make some form of cash for Koulibaly, with Juventus now pushing to sign the Senegal international as the Old Lady brace themselves to lose De Ligt to Chelsea.
The Netherlands international has been strongly linked with a move to the west London side, and although De Ligt reportedly has a £130m release clause, it is expected that Juventus will accept a much lower transfer fee for the former Ajax star should Chelsea make a move for the 22-year-old.
And this move from Thomas Tuchel could now, in turn, massively affect Tottenham’s transfer plays, with Antonio Conte interested in signing Koulibaly from Napoli as the Italian manager looks to improve Spurs’ backline for next season, yet as things stand, Juventus look the favourites to sign the defender.
Labelled once by Carlo Ancelotti as ‘one of the best in the world’ in his position, Koulibaly has been a sensation for Napoli for the past few seasons and a key reason behind the club’s regular appearances in the UEFA Champions League, yet the centre-back now looks set to depart the Serie A club.
Contract talks between Koulibaly and Napoli have stalled for months, and with Juventus now interested in signing the defender as a replacement for Chelsea target De Ligt, Tottenham could now potentially miss out on a player who could transform their defence for next season.
Juventus would be favourites to sign Koulibaly if Chelsea land De Ligt
Despite not winning the title for the past two years, Juventus still hold a vicious grip over many in Italian football, and this alone is what makes the Turin-based side the clear favourites to land Koulibaly this summer over Tottenham should De Ligt sign for Chelsea.
Indeed, Koulibaly could be a transformative signing for Juventus this summer following the departure of Giorgio Chiellini, and given how strong a pull the Bianconeri have over the Italian market, Tottenham could stand no chance in landing the Napoli star.
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