Why Kalidou Koulibaly to Everton would be a statement signing by the club

According to Daily Star, Everton are in the race for Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly as manager Carlo Ancelotti has taken charge of the club.

Koulibaly, 28, has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Europe and is in the form of his life. He came through the ranks of Metz’s youth system. He switched from Genk to Napoli in 2014 and rose to fame after continuous solid performances in Italy.

He has been a huge presence in the heart of the defence for Napoli for several years and was instrumental in the club’s rise to prominence. He was also named Senegal’s Player of the Year in 2017 and 2018.

Meanwhile, Everton has sacked Marco Silva last month and appointed Ancelotti to take charge at Goodison Park. The Toffees started their season in the worst possible way and were languishing near the relegation place before Duncan Ferguson lifted them above the danger zone.

Now, however, their hopes of getting into the upper half of the table rest on the Italian, who already has experience in the Premier League.

With the transfer window approaching in no time, the Toffees must rope in reinforcements. Talking about strengthening the squad, their defensive unit is yet to make an impact with Mason Holgate, Michael Keane, and Yerry Mina not up to the mark. If they continue like this, the situation could worsen.

In that case, Koulibaly would be a perfect fit for the team. The Senegal international has already worked for half of this season with Ancelotti before the latter got sacked. A reunion of the two might boost the confidence of the team and the fans.

The 28-year-old can replace any of the three centre-backs at Everton and with Holgate capable of playing in the midfield, Ancelotti must ease Koulibaly to the conditions in England.

Known for his aggressive defence qualities, Koulibaly has rescued Napoli from conceding on several occasions and his performances have allowed him to lead the side a few times.

At Everton, he would be an upgrade and Jordan Pickford can play his natural game without any discomfort. Playing alongside Yerry Mina and Michael Keane would help Koulibaly sit deeper and stop the threats while also showcasing his skills at a higher level than the Serie A.

Read more

• Why Napoli midfielder Zielinski would be a great signing for Everton
• Why Everton should go all out to sign Baptiste Santamaria
• Two players Carlo Ancelotti should sign for Everton in January

Verdict

Everton must take advantage of Napoli’s situation and lure him for £55m to Goodison Park. In doing so, the Toffees would highly benefit from Koulibaly’s presence.