Kalidou Koulibaly says he is very happy at Napoli despite being the subject of big money offers from Everton and Chelsea in the summer.
The Senegal international emerged as a top target for both Ronald Koeman and Antonio Conte during the summer but both managers were forced to sound out alternative targets after being priced out of the market for the Napoli defender.
Koulibaly, 25, went on to sign a new five-year deal after the transfer window shut in September and the powerful defender has revealed he is very happy at the Serie A club, although admits a move from Belgian side Genk in 2014 almost fell through after hanging up on former Napoli boss Rafa Benitez three times.
“They breathe football here [Naples],” Koulibaly told France Football, via The Daily Mail.” President [Aurelio] De Laurentiis is an example of that, he loves this club. He’s not your average president, but he gives everything to help us progress. He’s a good person.
“Just like him, everyone here is crazy about Napoli. As soon as we get into the city we’re signing autographs and taking pictures, everywhere we go. I think my family knows the city better than I do, because there are some places I can’t go, there are so many people who want to talk to us that i’d be hard to walk through.
“I love this city, it’s magnificent. There’s the sun, the seas. The Neapolitans are very welcoming. I’m very, very happy here. The call came from Rafa Benitez and I hung up two or three times. I didn’t believe it, I thought it was a friend making a joke!
“It seemed very surreal to me. Image, I was playing in the Jupiler League in Belgium, then the coach of a big Serie A club calls me? No, it was impossible. Afterwards I was really embarrassed. I was a bit stupid and I kept telling him I was sorry.”
In his two years at the club Koulibaly has developed into one of the best defenders in Serie A but it wasn’t enough for Everton or Chelsea to match Napoli’s £65m valuation. In the last three Serie A campaigns, only Francesco Acerbi (372) has won possession in the defensive third more times than Koulibaly (322).
For more stats on Kalidou Koulibaly, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
