Sporting director confirms Everton are in the mix for Koulibaly

Lyndon Lloyd | Thursday, 28 July 2016

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The firmness of Everton's interest in Kalidou Koulibaly would seem to have been confirmed by Napoli's Giuseppe Cannella who indicates that the defender is likely to leave Stadio San Paolo.

Speaking on Radio CRC, the Serie A club's sporting director raised doubts that Koulibaly could remain in Italy beyond this season given that he has indicated a desire to leave Napoli and he admitted that there are two offers from England.

“I do not think Koulibaly can have the right concentration to play in the same league as last year, if he was to stay," Cannella said in quotes translated by Google. "There are two important offers from the Premier League.

With Koulibaly and [Gonzalo] Higuain we had to sit at the table first to discuss a [contract] renewal. Everton is the most concrete team of Koulibaly “.

It's unclear whether Cannella was inferring that Everton's is the only official offer for the 25-year-old, who was a reported target for Ronald Koeman at Southampton a year ago, or whether the Blues are better placed to sign him than Chelsea who reports in Italy and in England claim have uped their offer to £38m.

Italian sources said earlier this month that the Blues were prepared to bid up to €50m (£42m) in order to land Koulibaly, although that may be contingent on the outcome of John Stones's proposed move to Manchester City.

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