Kalidou Koulibaly shows defensive skills for Napoli in Serie A
Manchester City signing Kalidou Koulibaly "might be done" already, according to Ian Wright. Arsenal legend Wright claims he has heard that Koulibaly is set to become a City player. The Senegal defender is expected to leave Serie A side Napoli in the next transfer window.
Koulibaly has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool all rumoured to have been interested in the player in the past.
But talk of a move to City has been strong to help solve their defensive problems, with the club yet to replace former captain Vincent Kompany who left last summer.
And while discussing who United could potentially sign in the next window, Wright claims Koulibaly would not be an option as City are already close to a deal.
"I'm hearing Koulibaly might be done with City," Wright told Premier League Productions.
Castles said the fee for Koulibaly is likely to be lower than what Napoli wanted for him before the coronavirus pandemic.
"Napoli's coach Gennaro Gattuso has been told Koulibaly will definitely be sold this summer and a replacement centre-back is coming in," Castles said on the Transfer Window podcast.
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"Koulibaly himself is open to that, he's ready for a change of environment and keen to move to the Premier League.
"Napoli's asking price pre-Covid-19 was €100million (£90m), they would be expected to come down but I don't see the fee coming significantly down into the €60m (£54m) mark.
"The noise from Napoli is perhaps €80m (£72.5m) would do it at present.
"Obviously all of these things are open to negotiation but it's going to be a significant salary, it's going to be significant wages.
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Man City news: Kalidou Koulibaly is set to leave Napoli this summer (Image: GETTY)
"The word from people close to Koulibaly is he thinks there's a strong chance he will end up at Manchester City.
"The noises and efforts that City have made so far and obviously their greater need for a top centre-back - as we've talked about many times the only centre-back option that Guardiola trusts at present is Aymeric Laporte, they've spent this whole season short of quality at centre-back - puts them in Koulibaly's mind as his more likely destination this summer."
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