According to a report from 90 min.com, Manchester City could be prepared to trigger Napoli defender Kalidou Kouliably’s £100 million release clause next summer in a bid to strengthen their backline – with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham also said to be interested in his signature.
The Sky Blues have suffered from a plethora of defensive fitness issues since the start of this season, having to improvise without the integral influence of Aymeric Laporte as he continues recovery from a knee injury.
Manager Pep Guardiola, in response, has shifted Fernandinho into the centre-back role alongside the rotating Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones – whilst also having to adapt to life without club legend Vincent Kompany who departed last summer.
In comparison to City’s current defensive crop, Koulibaly has averaged a far superior tackles per game record than Stones and Otamendi – averaging 2.6 (per WhoScored) challenges every 90 minutes in the league while Guardiola’s current natural centre-back pair have mustered just 1.1 and 1.2 respectively.
As a result, Citizens have implored the club to sign the Senegalese international – taking to Twitter and appealing to trigger his release clause.
Here’s what they had to say on social media.
Physical, pacey for a CB, an absolute beast, not too bad on the ball ’cause he played sarri ball before, good header, speaks French (great partnership with Laporte) and English..
For the right price he’s the ideal fit for City..— 🅿️hoenix (@TwelfthBlue_) January 7, 2020
Needed badly
— ʀʏᴀɴ🇧🇷 (@FavelaFlair) January 7, 2020
Or Koulibaly in the summer
— Will (@WillGobbett) January 8, 2020
Koulibaly is the only one who will fit for our centre back. He is world class.
— Abdulla Atheeq Mohamed (@Atheeq_12) January 7, 2020
A top top CB, physique, enough pace, organiser, goal scorer@kkoulibaly26 is perfect for some years ahead.
I’m also thinking of attackers like Benzema and Bale facing us, we need Koulibaly-Laporte, could make one of the most solid defensive pair, if not the most solid— TheeLuciano (@LucianoAdams13) January 7, 2020
City fans to Koulibaly: pic.twitter.com/VBzdnIiQv3
— H-M-N-T-X (@h_m_n_t_X) January 7, 2020
Would you like to see Koulibaly at the Etihad? Join the discussion by commenting below…
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