According to a report from Napoli Magazine, Liverpool wish to negotiate and would like to ‘offer‘ Napoli €60 million (£53.5 million) plus a player to bring in 6ft 4 stalwart Kalidou Koulibaly – but the Reds face a tough task in bringing down his €100 million (£89 million) asking price.
Indeed, as per this update, Jurgen Klopp wishes to sign the Senegalese colossus and is even willing to part ways with fan favourite Divock Origi to make the deal happen – and Koulibaly is said to ‘like‘ the idea of a move to Anfield.
Should Liverpool sign Koulibaly?
Yes, do it
No, Werner more important
The centre-back, who has started 14 Serie A games this season under Gennaro Gattuso, is currently one of the most sought-after defensive acquisitions on the market – with a host of high profile clubs being touted to sign him in recent months.
However, according to Napoli Magazine, it appears Liverpool are also firmly on the radar as the club gear up to offer a player plus cash deal – debatably to find a suitable partner for Virgil van Dijk.
As Dejan Lovren reportedly looks set to part ways, Klopp and the Reds may be hunting for a reliable replacement – but would Koulibaly be worth the effort?
According to WhoScored, the 28-year-old has amassed an 89% pass accuracy this season whilst making more clearances in the Champions League than van Dijk – as well as a higher number of tackles and interceptions domestically.
This could perhaps indicate he would be a robust partner to the Dutchman, but given the impact of recent events on the transfer market, it’s unclear whether Michael Edwards and the board would sanction such a potentially lucrative move.