Manchester United are ramping up efforts to sign Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window and are now readying an £84 million bid for him, as per Corriere dello Sport. The centre-back has been pursued by Manchester United since the last transfer window and the English club hope to have their man by the end of this window, with a report in Metro suggesting that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær wants all his signings to be completed by July.
The 27-year-old defender has attracted interest not only from Manchester United but also from Real Madrid, but their transfer offer of €90 million was reportedly rejected by Napoli recently, as per AS.
Koulibaly joined Napoli from Genk in 2014 for £6.5 million and has gone on to become one of the best central defenders in the world. The Senegalese international has played over 200 games for the Italian club and has become one of their most important players.
Napoli manager Carlo Ancelotti recently revealed that the central defender will stay at the club next season, but it looks like Koulibaly could be tempted to leave the club. Koulibaly’s contract at Napoli expires in 2023, while his release clause of £132 million will come into effect in 2021.
Why Manchester United should do everything to sign him?
Manchester United currently do not have a central defender that inspires confidence at the back, while they aren’t quite good enough to be part of the starting XI of any defence in the top 6 of the Premier League. Koulibaly would make a significant improvement to the United backline that has been crying out for a leader who can cajole the defence and lead from the back, much like what Virgil van Dijk has done at Liverpool.
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Koulibaly is quick, physically strong, can read the game very well from the back, while also being a good passer who can initiate attacks from defence. The central defender has all the qualities that are required to be a world-class player and signing him would be the first big step for Manchester United to take them up the league table and challenge for the title with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City. United have not had a world-class central defender post-Alex Ferguson but Koulibaly could be the one player who can help bring back the dominance and swagger that United teams of old possessed.
