The prospect of Tottenham Hotspur-linked Kalidou Koulibaly joining Chelsea is looking relatively probable.
Sky Italia reported on Wednesday that Chelsea had made contact about signing the powerful Napoli centre-back.
Tottenham are in the market for a central defender and Sport in Spain reported last month that Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici were in the race to sign him.
However, it’s looking like Chelsea who are leading the race – and they have an advantage.
Blues’ director Marina Granovskaia, who will leave West London at the end of the transfer window, has a good working relationship with Koulibaly’s agent Fali Ramadani, according to Calciomercato.
The report adds that Ramadani is based in London and that his connection to the Chelsea figure ‘may affect the negotiation’.
It’s vitally important Tottenham sign a centre-back, even if the advantage appears to lie with Chelsea for Koulibaly at the moment.
As good as Paratici has done for the Lilywhites this summer, none of their recruits – Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma – have been defenders.
The North Londoners conceded a lot of cheap goals last season, even after Conte took the reins and that’s why the legendary Italian manager will be so determined to bolster up the defence.
A lot of players have been linked, like Alessandro Bastoni and Gleison Bremer, but there isn’t much positive speculation regarding either of those two right now and the same, you have to say, is also true of Koulibaly with regards to Tottenham’s interest.
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