Chelsea officially confirm the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in a £34m deal as they add their second new signing to their summer revolution, with the defender signing a four-year deal and admitting he is “very happy”.
- Kalidou Koulibaly is the second signing of Chelsea’s new revolution
- The former Napoli defender has now signed a four-year deal
- His arrival was officially announced by the Blues in the early hours of Saturday morning
- Speaking to the club, the centre-back admitted he was ‘very happy’ with the move
Chelsea have officially confirmed the signing Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli in a deal worth £34m with the defender becoming their second arrival of the summer.
The centre-back has signed a four-year deal after already completing his medical and joining Jet Las Vegas to meet up with his teammates for the pre-season.
With the announcement in the early hours of today, Koulibaly will join Raham Sterling in Thomas Tuchel’s squad – and their expenses are not over yet.
Chelsea have officially confirmed the signing of defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli
“I’m very happy to be here at Chelsea with this team,” Koulibaly told the club’s official website. “It’s a big team in the world and my dream has always been to play in the Premier League. Chelsea got me first 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, you made my choice easier, so I’m really happy to be with you today.
“I want to thank the fans because I saw a lot of them in London and on the plane everyone was happy that I was here. So I want to thank them and I hope the season will be really good and we will bring some good moments to the fans.”
The centre-back has signed a four-year deal and has met his new team-mates in the United States
Boss Tuchel was asked about his thoughts on his new defender last night and said: “I’m really excited about his signing and joining our team.
“He is now the second new signing of the summer.
‘We have another strong player, a strong personality with a lot of experience and, from our point of view, a perfect addition to our group.’
Centre-back Koulibaly made 317 appearances in all competitions for Napoli, scoring 14 goals. He will now train with the Blues to get into full swing.
Thomas Tuchel describes his newcomer as a “strong player” and “perfect” newcomer
Meanwhile, Todd Boehly, Chelsea’s new owner, said: “Kalidou Koulibaly is one of the best defenders in the world and we’re delighted to welcome him to Chelsea.
“A great leader and exemplary team player, Kalidou brings a wealth of experience and qualities that will benefit our squad and the club as a whole.”
Koulibaly posted an emotional farewell message to his former team yesterday.
Taking to social media, the 31-year-old thanked supporters for creating a “love story” during his eight-year stay in Italy – but admitted it was time for a “new adventure”.
Todd Boehly (left) has sealed his second summer signing after joining Raheem Sterling (centre).
Sterling joined from Manchester City for £50million to become the first signing of the new era
On his Twitter account, he posted a picture of himself on a plane to the United States to take part in Chelsea’s pre-season tour, with the caption: “Napoli, terra mia” – translated to “Naples, my country” – followed by a blue heart and a sign out.
On Instagram, he added: “1. June 2014, an unforgettable date: my arrival in Naples, the beginning of a pure love story…
“Thank you Naples and Neapolitans for all the love we gave each other.
“You were everything to me. Now I feel like I need to go and get back in the game, time for a new adventure.”
