Published 17:44 IST, September 4th 2020
Napoli President confirms Man City don't talk directly after broken deal 2 years ago
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis confirmed that Man City do not negotiate directly with the club for Kalidou Koulibaly after the 2018 Jorginho saga.
- SportFit
- 3 min read
After losing the 2019-20 Premier League title to Liverpool, Manchester City made some moves in the transfer market swiftly by signing Bournemouth's Nathan Ake and Valencia's Ferran Torres. Their defence has been termed as the key reason behind Pep Guardiola's side losing the title last season, and despite signing Ake, the club looks keen to add another top-quality centre-back, leading them to Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly. However, a Koulibaly transfer is not as straightforward as it seems, with the Napoli President confirming that the two clubs have failed to see eye-to-eye since their breakdown in talks for Jorginho two years ago.
Man City transfer news: Napoli president claims Man City don't talk directly for Koulibaly transfer
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis claimed that a peaceful and calm negotiation with Manchester for a Kalidou Koulibaly transfer is not possible with the Premier League club not in talks with Napoli directly. De Laurentiis claimed that the discussions for the Koulibaly to Man City deal are not done directly due to the break down in talks between the two clubs two years during the Jorginho transfer. The Italian midfielder was one of the biggest Premier League transfers two seasons ago, when he signed Chelsea, who were then managed by ex-Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri.
Jorginho was close to joining Pep Guardiola's side that summer, with both teams having agreed on a fee. While the deal seemed a formality, a dramatic U-turn saw the Man City miss out on the playmaker, with the Italian international having chosen to move to Stamford Bridge. Man City have since claimed that Jorginho had been bullied into signing for Chelsea, while De Laurentiis believes that it was Jorginho who called the shots and preferred the move to West London over Manchester.
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According to Man City transfer news, the Premier League outfit have now tabled a €70 million plus bonuses offer for Koulidou Koulibaly as the new Premier League season draws nearer. The Koulibaly to Man City deal will see him partner with Aymeric Laporte and Pep Guardiola has made no secrets about his admiration to sign the Senegalese international. The 29-year-old has been eyed as a leader in the heart of Man City's defence and is likened as the direct replacement of former captain Vincent Kompany, who left the club after the 2018/19 season. Koulibaly has developed as one of the leading centre-backs in Europe since going to Napoli in 2014 and is also linked with a switch to Man City's rivals Manchester United.
(Image Courtesy: Kalidou Koulibaly Instagram)
Updated 17:44 IST, September 4th 2020