When Manchester City set out to buy their second centre-back of the transfer window after acquiring Nathan Aké from AFC Bournemouth, one name stuck throughout the search.
That was Kalidou Koulibaly, the Napoli defender every big team around the world seemed interested in, ranging from Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester United.
But, it was City’s name that was more often than not paired with the Senegalese’s, as his agent, Fali Ramadani, made endless back and forths between Naples/Capri and the north-East of England to try and get a deal done.
However, Aurelio De Laurentiis’ asking price of €80m+ was never matched, and the Premier League club eventually moved on to sign Rúben Dias from Benfica.
That left Koulibaly with no other choice but to stay with the Serie A club for another season, despite getting the feeling this was the time for him to make the leap.
Despite a failed transfer, the Italian newspaper plays down the possibility of witnessing an Allan 2.0, as the Brazilian was ‘decidedly transformed’ after seeing his big move to Paris Saint-Germain turned down, and Koulibaly ‘doesn’t mind’ having to remain put for now.
A ‘significant’ hint of this was the fact that, prior to all the transfer market hubbub, ‘his agent met De Laurentiis in Capri, specifying his willingness to extend his contract with Napoli, but only in case of a retouching of his wages’.
All is not lost, and there’s every chance the centre-back will eventually get his big move, but it won’t be until at least January.
