"I have found happiness again on and off the field" - Former Chelsea star on life after exit from the London club
Having moved from Chelsea to Al-Hilal last summer, Kalidou Koulibaly recently opened up about life after Stamford Bridge and the Premier League.
He signed with the Blues from Napoli in the summer of 2022 but he had trouble meeting expectations in west London. This resulted in his €25 million sale to Al-Hilal, which gave his former club a financial boost. However, it also gave him a new lease on his professional career.
Koulibaly has taken well to life and football in Saudi Arabia, where he plays for Al-Hilal. He revealed as much in an interview with Spanish media outlet AS, saying (via GOAL):
"I have found happiness again on and off the field. At Chelsea things were not as I expected, I was not used to not playing. When the offer came, I understood that it could be the right decision. And it was like this: I am delighted and the championship, with the signings, it is growing."
He continued, praising the level of football in the Middle East:
"People underestimate the level of the Saudis. Many thought that we came here on vacation and they found out that this is not the case. We have 27 consecutive victories and we will not stop until we win titles.”
Koulibaly has played the entire 90 minutes in 20 of the 23 league games since joining Al-Hilal, clearly making him a staple in the starting lineup. Al-Hilal now lead the Saudi Pro League by 12 points, thanks in part to his performances and other European stars who also made the switch to Arabia.
Mauricio Pochettino's stance on staying as Chelsea head coach revealed
Mauricio Pochettino is under a lot of pressure to continue leading Chelsea, but he is adamant about staying in his role. Fans are understandably not happy with the club's current league position of 11th. They noisily protested during a league match against Brentford that resulted in a 2-2 draw at the Gtech Community Stadium.
They even shouted compliments for Jose Mourinho, who had guided the Blues to success on two different occasions, while calling for Pochettino's dismissal. However, the Argentine manager is still dedicated to Chelsea and he has no intentions of leaving. He told the press (via The Athletic):
“Ah no, no, no! Why? Never! We love a challenge. The challenge is massive and I come here to accept the project and challenge, knowing it is never easy with the pressure and the feeling that you are Chelsea and you need to win.”
Chelsea have a long history of achievement, particularly in the 19 major trophies they won in 19 years under former owner Roman Abramovich. But Todd Boehly-Clearlake group have gone in a different direction. They have spent more than £1 billion since arriving in 2022 to prioritize investment in emerging potential above well-known players.