Speaking recently on The Athletic’s Why Always Us? podcast, Manchester City correspondent for the website, Sam Lee, provided an update on the club’s pursuit of Napoli centre-back, Kalidou Koulibaly.
It is fairly common knowledge that Manchester City are in the market for new defenders this summer, with Pep Guardiola previously speaking out about his desire to bring two new centre-backs to the club over the transfer window.
And, with City having already had a bid accepted for Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake, it would seem as if there is just one player in the position left to sign.
All things point towards this being Napoli defender, Kalidou Koulibaly, with continuous reports linking the 29-year-old with a move to Manchester this summer.
On the subject, Sam Lee provided an update on the club’s pursuit of the player a recent episode of the Why Always Us? podcast, suggesting that there may not be any movement on the Koulibaly front until the conclusion of Napoli’s Champions League campaign.
He said: “In terms of City, because they’ve got the Champions League, that might affect Koulibaly because Napoli aren’t going to want to do anything there with him – I don’t think – before their fate is decided in the Champions League. I think they’ve got a lead over Barcelona, if I’m right, going into their second leg.
“So there’s that, they won’t be able to do certain things until after the Champions League and obviously the transfer window is open until October, which is ages away.”
TIF Thoughts…
As such, it would appear that there may be no movement on the Koulibaly to City front for a little while yet, or, at least until Napoli’s Champions League season is over, with the Italian side currently level at 1-1 with Barcelona going into the second leg of their round of 16 fixture on 8 August.
Do you think Koulibaly will be a Manchester City player next season?
Yes
No
Having said that, with the second leg being played at the Camp Nou and the Naples side requiring at least one away goal, it could be over sooner rather than later.