Chelsea to receive close to £21 million for sale of 32-year-old star to Saudi club: Reports
Al Hilal are reportedly set to splash a fee of around £21 million to sign Chelsea star Kalidou Koulibaly this summer.
The Blues have reached a verbal agreement with the Saudi Pro League outfit over the sale of the Senegalese star, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. They are currently preparing all the transfer documents in London.
Koulibaly, 32, has also agreed personal terms on a three-year contract with Al-Hilal ahead of a potential permanent move this summer. He is set to earn £26 million each season during his stay in Riyadh, as per Corriere dello Sport.
A right-footed centre-back renowned for his heading and positioning, the FC Metz academy product joined Chelsea from Napoli for a fee of around £34 million last summer. However, he failed to settle in at his new club last season.
Koulibaly, who had signed a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge in 2022, started 29 games out of his 32 appearances last campaign. He netted two goals, one against Tottenham Hotspur and another against Fulham, last time around.
Mauricio Pochettino's outfit currently have Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, and Trevoh Chalobah to feature in the centre-back role. Blues captain Cesar Azpilicueta could also operate as a central defender if needed.
Apart from Koulibaly, Chelsea have also agreed to offload two other first-team stars to Saudi Arabia. While Edouard Mendy is set to join Al Ahli on a three-year contract, Hakim Ziyech is set to secure a permanent switch to Al-Nassr.
Premier League club backed to snap up 24-year-old Chelsea attacker
Former Liverpool winger Luis Garcia has backed Arsenal to rope in Chelsea forward Kai Havertz. He told ESPN:
"If we see what happened to Arsenal in the last month or month and a half... the lack of players who can have the personality to hold the ball, to have it and to ask for it affected their performances. They have shown that they are naive during the last part of the season. I think [Mikel] Arteta realises that. Kai Havertz is one of those footballers."
Shedding light on the 37-cap Germany international's style of play in and around the penalty box, Garcia continued:
"Havertz isn't afraid to receive the ball. He isn't afraid to hold it, to go inside the box or to create something. When he plays in the top matches... he is always asking for the ball, keeping the ball and helping the team go forward."
According to The Athletic, Arsenal have reached an agreement to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen player in a deal worth around £65 million. They have also agreed personal terms with the versatile attacker ahead of his transfer.
Overall, Havertz has scored 32 goals and provided 15 assists in 139 matches across all competitions for Chelsea.