Chelsea reach agreement with Napoli for Kalidou Koulibaly

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Chelsea reach agreement with Napoli for Kalidou Koulibaly

Chelsea have struck a deal with Napoli for centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly, 90min can confirm.

The west London club accelerated talks with the Serie A side on Tuesday, and they have moved quickly to reach an agreement with notoriously tough negotiators Napoli.

90min understands Chelsea will pay a fee in the region of €40m, with the 31-year-old now set to travel to England for a medical.

On Tuesday, the player himself confirmed a deal was progressing well, saying: "I'll confirm that later, but it's on the right track."

Koulibaly had been a target for Juventus - who are searching for a replacement for Bayern Munich-bound Matthijs de Ligt - but the Partonopei were unwilling to do business with their Serie A rivals.

That left Chelsea out in front in the pursuit for the Senegal international's signature, and they have moved swiftly to tie up a deal as they continue working to reinforce their depleted backline. Centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen both recently left the club at the end of their respective contracts.

Ironically, Chelsea turned to Koulibaly when it became clear that first-choice De Ligt was out of their reach, although the Napoli stalwart was always among the options they were considering as they look to add up to three new central defenders.

The Blues also retain an interest in Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe and long-term target Jules Kounde of Sevilla.

Having joined Napoli way back in 2014, Koulibaly had entered the final year of his contract and is now set for a new challenge in a fresh chapter of his career.