"Has been excellent" – Pat Nevin lavishes praise on Chelsea star who put fans' worry to rest during win at Everton
Former Chelsea forward Pat Nevin heaped praise on new signing Kalidou Koulibaly after his Premier League debut in the Blues' 1-0 win over Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday, August 6.
The Thomas Tuchel-managed side opened their Premier League campaign on a positive note, registering their first league victory at Everton since 2017. Jorginho's winner from the spot on the stroke of half-time was the difference between the two teams.
Off the mark! 🎯 https://t.co/DyNtlv4mGC
Koulibaly, who joined the west London outfit from Napoli for £34 million earlier last month, played 75 minutes against Everton, Before coming off with a cramp, he was part of a three-man defence alongside captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live (via The Chelsea Chronicle), Nevin compared the Senegalese with former Blues centre-back Antonio Rudiger, who joined Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer. He said:
"Chelsea fans were worried about losing Antonio Rudiger. They have got Rudiger mark II, haven't they? Different players, but Kalidou Koulibaly's tackling has been excellent."
The 31-year-old, who has penned a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, turned heads with his performance on Saturday. He won seven duels, three clearances, three aerial duels, two tackles and an interception, as per Squawka.
Koulibaly, who was at the heart of Napoli's defence for eight seasons, helped the Serie A club lift two trophies. He featured in 317 games across competitions for them, contributing 14 goals and eight assists.
Kalidou Koulibaly makes a winning Premier League debut with Chelsea ⚽ https://t.co/QSrKQUkUb1
Apart from Koulibaly, two other new signings also made their Premier League debuts for Chelsea – Raheem Sterling and Marc Cucurella. Conor Gallagher, who impressed on loan at Crystal Palace last season, also made his debut for his boyhood club against Everton.
The Blues will next lock horns with city rivals Tottenham Hotspur in their second league game of the season on August 14.
Chelsea look to sign three more players
According to Daily Express, the Blues are eyeing to complete three more signings in the ongoing transfer window. Leicester City centre-back Wesley Fofana, Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Inter Milan midfielder Cesare Casadei are the reported targets.
While Fofana is valued by the Foxes around £80 million, Casadei is expected to cost the five-time Premier League winners £20 million. Meanwhile, Tuchel is interested in facilitating a summer reunion with Aubameyang.