Jürgen Klopp has put Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly at the top of his wishlist after the player’s impressive performances against Liverpool this season.
That’s according to Gazzetta Dello Sport, who cover the Reds interest in the centre back after several reports indicated they were pushing for his signature.
The newspaper explains that while Koulibaly has generally had a poor season, at least his worst at Napoli to date, there have been two exceptional performances.
They came against Liverpool in the Champions League, with Napoli beating them at the San Paolo and then securing a draw at Anfield.
Those performances did not go unnoticed by Klopp who, when drawing up a list of potential signings this summer, put the Senegalese centre back ‘at the top of the defence wishes’.
His idea is to pair the centre back with Virgil van Dijk and arguably form one of the best defensive partnerships in Europe.
Liverpool are yet to make their move, but the feeling is that they are at the front of the queue, ahead of others suitors such as Newcastle and Manchester United, with their ‘prestige’ giving them an advantage.
Koulibaly, for his part, is in a ‘waiting position’. While he’s happy in Naples, he is also ‘ready for a further leap in quality’.
He is working with his agent and Napoli chief Aurelio De Laurentiis to find a solution that suits all parties, the latter hoping that a bidding war will be started to ensure he and Napoli receive as high a price as possible.
