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Man City boss Pep Guardiola holding Chelsea grudge affecting Kalidou Koulibaly transfer
Manchester City are keen on signing Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli this summer.
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Pep Guardiola is reportedly tentative to deal with Napoli over Kalidou Koulibaly, because of the way they allowed Jorginho to join Chelsea two years ago. The Premier League runners up had agreed a deal with the Italians to sign the midfielder, who had also agreed terms on a deal.
But when Chelsea tabled the cash, Jorginho's head was swayed due to the prospect of linking up with old boss Sarri.
Jorginho has always loved to play under the current Juventus boss, who built the team around his qualities.
That's why he made the decision to complete a switch to Stamford Bridge despite already giving City his work in the summer of 2018.
Now City want to sign Koulibaly as they look to strengthen their backline to ensure they rival Liverpool for the title next season.
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City have had a £40million bid accepted by Bournemouth for Nathan Ake.
It's thought that he will still be a deputy option to Aymeric Laporte.
The club are still expected to try and sign another centre-back with Koulibaly their primary target.
According to Fabrizio Romano, City boss Guardiola has bad memories of dealings with Napoli and is therefore cautious about the deal.
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Romano tweeted: "Pep wants him [Ake] after problems for Koulibaly (Man City are still angry with Napoli because of Jorginho/Chelsea deal two years ago)."
According to Jorginho's agent Joao Santos, his move to City was virtually done before Chelsea hijacked the deal.
"It was all done with Jorginho," Santos told Radio Kiss Kiss Napoli.
"There was an agreement, but there was no agreement between the clubs. All parties have to agree, and one did not.
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"Then Chelsea asked what the situation was after Sarri arrived and Jorginho went to London."
Villareal's Pau Torres has reportedly been identified as a potential alternative should they not be able to sign Koulibaly. He is set to sit down with Napoli at the end of the season to decide his future.
“In football, you never know what happens. I never spoke to Napoli about leaving," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“If we have to find a solution, we will find it, but I have never talked about the transfer market.
“I also read in the newspapers about my future. But I only want to think about playing, I am 100 per cent Napoli and it bothers me to be linked, every day, to this or that European club.”
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