When you read that a certain player and his team failed to agree on a new contract, you usually think that the player and his agent asked a lot of money and the club declined not to be blackmailed. And it’s usually like that. But, there are other situations, when you, for example have a player who is in the club for 8 years, who is the African champion, who is the cornerstone of your defense and who is tipped to be your next captain. And what kind of money do you offer to such a player? You certainly won’t offer him a wage cut, unless you are Barcelona….or Napoli.No agreement has been found with Kalidou #Koulibaly, so he will leave now or for free next year. He is ready to have a new experience with another top club. He’s 31 years old and his next contract is his last, so it’s important. (@m_ugolini – @SkySport via @MGuardasole)— SSC Nap⚽️li News (@SSCNapoliNews_) June 9, 2022 Well, that’s exactly what happened to Kalidou Koulibaly. Napoli’s steady defender has been negotiating with the club for some time, but failed to agree on the new contract as the future Napoli captain think that he doesn’t deserve a pay cut after 8 years’ service. And suddenly, the Neapolitans are looking to sell the Senegalese captain as he has only one year on his contract. The asking price? 40 million euros, and the European giants are already lining up for the 31 year old.Mancini’s recipe for the Ivorian child: Take talent, add time and take away the pressurePSG are the first one to pick up the phone (off course), and no financial rules will prevent them to spent 40 million (Napoli could agree on less) on a good defender, and Chelsea are there too. They already lost two defenders on a free transfer, and the AFCON 2021 winner would fit the bill perfectly, so they offered a 10 million euros net per season, but they’d need to reach a deal with Napoli first.21.45: (9.00) Hungary (4.90) Germany (1.40)And off course, Barcelona is there too, and the Catalonians are apparently Koulibaly’s first choice, but… guess what? They don’t have the funds. Laporta is trying to sell De Jong and some other players in order to register new ones, and Robert Lewandowski is increasingly impatient. And on top of all that, Koulibaly comes to the transfer market and wouldn’t say no to Barcelona. It is reported they have asked the defender to stall for at least two or three weeks while they resolve their issues. Koulibaly’s agent Fali Ramadani has asked Barcelona for financial guarantees ahead of any potential move, according to reports in Catalonia.Mourinho’s motivation through Afena-Gyan’s exampleThis will be a sad summer for Napoli, as the club is trying to vastly reduce the wage bill overall, despite qualifying for the Champions League, and this has caused problems with several historically important players who feel disrespected. Lorenzo Insigne has already left for Toronto FC as a free agent, while Dries Mertens is also now expected to walk away without a deal. According to the reports from Italy, Koulibaly instructed his agent to find him the club outside Italy, as he doesn’t want to play for another club, out of respect toward Napoli’s fans.
