Pranav Nair
Manchester United can sign Kalidou Koulibaly for as little as £43m this summer
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport (h/t The Express), Manchester United could very well make a move for Kalidou Koulibaly as a cheaper alternative to Sevilla ace Jules Kounde.
The Senegalese international is amongst the best defenders on the planet when at the top of his game. A proven player at the top level, he has thrived at Napoli since joining them in 2014.
The Red Devils have been long-term admirers of the 29-year-old star. However, his €90m valuation was a major hurdle for us to overcome last summer. A year on, we may just be able to get for a lot lesser.
Napoli are desperate to offload Koulibaly from their wage bill and are keen to sell up now to and reinvest in their squad. With Champions League football not on the agenda, it is a key summer for the Italians.
The Serie A side are now ready to part ways with their big man for £43m. At 29, Koulibaly is nearing that age where he will be making the last big move of his career.
Moreover, he also offers bags of experience at the top level and could well be an option should Kounde prove too expensive for United.
Kounde is at 22, a younger player with limitless potential. The Frenchman will however not come cheap and has a release clause of €80million. Sevilla for their part are willing to take a hit and will accept around €70m for his services.
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United cannot afford to miss out on signing a central defender this summer. Even if we miss out on Kounde, there is every reason for us to go for Koulibaly.
While he will not give us a long-term solution to the problem, the Senegalese would almost certainly strengthen our backline as it stands.
