"There was PSG, but there were also other clubs" - Kalidou Koulibaly confirms interest from Ligue 1 giants among others
Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed Ligue 1 side Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were interested in signing him last summer.
The Parisians wanted to add more depth and experience to their defense and were keen on signing Koulibaly to replace Thiago Silva. The Brazilian departed the year before, but the club decided not to replace him in the summer of 2020.
Koulibaly would have cost the Parisians more money, so they eventually decided to sign Sergio Ramos instead.
Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly confirms he held talks with PSG, but the Partenopei didn’t sell him showing ‘all their love.’ football-italia.net/koulibaly-reve… #Napoli #SerieA #Calcio #Transfers #PSG
In a recent interview with Canal+, Koulibaly revealed he held talks with a number of clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain.
“It’s true I had discussions with everyone," he said. "There were a lot of clubs interested. There was PSG, but there were also other clubs. Don’t really like to talk about it; it’s something I try to kick in a lot of times. There was interest; it makes me happy, it proves that my work pays, that people see the things that I do well. It pushes me to do even better."
The centre-back added that he’s glad with Napoli’s decision to keep him.
“PSG wanted me before taking Ramos," he said. "It makes me happy to be quoted next to these names. Ramos is an idol for everyone. There were offers, Naples decided to keep me. It also proves the love they have for me."
Koulibaly would have been a better option for PSG
Sergio Ramos is one of the best players in the world, but he has had an injury-ravaged spell at the Paris club so far.
At 35, Ramos is no longer at his peak even though he is a pretty good player to have in one's squad. The Spaniard has made just three appearances across all competitions for the Parisians this season and has not been able to help the team on the pitch.
Kalidou Koulibaly in Serie A this season:
◉ 14 games
◉ 11 wins
◉ 9 clean sheets
◉ 2 goals
◉ 1 assist
Senegal's captain has been in fine form. 💪
The French side signed Ramos to help them in their quest for their first-ever Champions League title. But it remains to be seen if he will be able to put aside his injury issues and help them in the second half of the season.
Koulibaly, on the other hand, has been as consistent as ever for Napoli. His side are third in the Serie A table and will hope to push the two teams from Milan for the league title.