Chelsea have finally completed the signing of Napoli and Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly on a four-year, The Trumpet gathered.
Koulibaly became a prime target for the Blues after the two Chelsea centrebacks, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen left for Spain after their contract expired in June.
The Napoli defender was part of the national squad that lifted their maiden TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon and is among the toughest defenders in Italy before he was snapped up by Thomas Tuchel’s side.
On completing the switch, Koulibaly said, “I’m very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea,” “It’s a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League. Chelsea came first to get me in 2016 but we didn’t make it.
“Now when they came to me I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play
for them.
“When I spoke to my good friends Edou [Mendy] and Jorginho they made my choice easier,” he conceded.
Following the completion of the move to Stamford Bridge, bringing his eight years spell in Italy to an end,
Koulibaly penned down a farewell message to Napoli and the fans.
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In his message, he reflected on the gains, successes, trials and defeats and all the moments he shared with
the club and the people of Naples that provided the ambience for his family to settle well in the city.
According to the Senegalese international, who is proud of the club he joined in 2014 as a young boy, he stressed that it was a pleasure working with the club president Aurelio De Laurentiis and his teammates.
“1 June 2014, an unforgettable date: my arrival at Napoli, the beginning of a story of pure love,” Koulibaly said.
“I was a shy boy, but with a great desire to prove to the world that I could do it! “Victories, defeats, joys,
disappointments. Too many emotions experienced together: impossible to summarise. But I kept everything: in my mind, in my heart.
“My two sons were born in Naples. I met people who will forever be part of my life and who made me and
my family feel at home: from the first to the last moment.
“Thanks to you, Napoli, I became the man I am today.
“Thanks to the club, the president, the coaches, all my teammates and all the people I have had the pleasure of working with over the years.
“Thank you, Napoli and Neapolitans, for all the love we have given each other.
“I am proud to have honoured you with all my heart and I will continue, forever, to carry you in my heart and to nurture for you one of the most important feelings for me: respect.
“You have been, for me, everything. m “Now I feel I have to leave and get back into the game: it’s time for a new adventure,” he added.
In his eight years spell with the Partenopei, Koulibaly made 317 appearances in all competitions. During that period, he netted 14 goals, provided eight assists and aided the club to win both Coppa Italia and Super coppa Italian titles.
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