Kalidou Koulibaly joins Saudi’s Al-Hilal
As the Summer transfers windows is open, Chelsea’s Kalidou Koulibaly joins Saudi’s Al Hilal after the deal completed a transfer to Al-Hilal for an undisclosed fee.
Ruben Neves left the Wolves to join Saudi Pro League side for £47m switch. Chelsea Midfielder N’Golo Kante has also agreed to sign for Saudi pro League champions Al-Ittihad, while team-Mate Edouard Mendy is close to joining Al-Ahli.
Kalidou Koulibaly signed for Chelsea as he moved from Napoli last July on a four year deal. He arrived at Chelsea club with domestic and international experience, after helping Napoli win the Italian Cup in 2020 and Senegal claim the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.
He played just 32 games for the club in all competitions, scoring two goals in 23 Premier League appearences. Koulibaly said, “From my first game to my last, it was an honour to wear this badge. Last season wasn’t the one we wanted, but I want to thank the fans and everyone at the club for your support.” Chelsea did not disclose how much Al-Hilal have paid for Koulibal, but it could be over £20m.
Koulibaly’s arrival in Saudi Arabia follows many players from European clubs that started with Cristaino Ronaldo’s switch to Al-Nassr in January.
Karim Benzema moved to Al-Ittihad at the end of the season, while Arsenal’s Thomas Partey and Man City’s Bernardo silva have been heavily linked with a move in recent weeks.
Despite the club could well see four of its players joins the Saudi pro League by the end of the summer, with Morocco winger Hakim Ziyech also linked with a move. The departures are part of a wider process going on behind the scenes at Stamford bridge as new manager Mauricio Pochettino reshapes his squad.
Arsenal had closed Kai Havertz deal in £65m deal and Man City have successfully completed a deal had £30m bid accepted for Chelsea Midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
The Chelsea rebuild has also seen the arrival of France Forward Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig, while Villareal’s Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson reportedly had a medical in London this weekend before a move.
Koulibaly journey over the League
Kalidou Koulibaly is a Chelsea defender who has appeared in a strong number of the club’s Premier League matches in 2022/2023, making 23 appearances overall and accumulating 1,800 minutes of playing time. He has been selected in the starting XI in 20 of these appearances across their 38 fixtures and been used as a substitute on three occasions.
The last time that Koulibaly featured in the league came on May 21 for Chelsea against Manchester City; a game that he played just nine minutes in during a 1-0 defeat. In total, he has scored two Premier League goals in 2022/2023, and registered one assist. He has been shown five yellow cards, as well as sent off once.
Koulibaly last scored in the league in the 2-1 defeat against Fulham on January 12, netting in the 47th minute. He opened his account for the campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on August 14, scoring during a 2-2 draw.
In last season’s Serie A, Koulibaly featured in 27 games for Napoli, scored three goals and provided three assists.
Koulibaly switched to Chelsea in July 2022 from Napoli, for whom he made 236 league appearances in total, scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists.
Koulibaly debuted in a Premier League fixture for Chelsea on August 6, 2022 as a starter versus Everton at the age of 31 years and 47 days. Overall, in his Premier League career, he has appeared 23 times in the competition, with two goals scored and just one assist.
