Liverpool’s $67M Offer For Sadio Mane’s Teammate Gets Rejected Amid Interest From Manchester United, Chelsea: Report

Liverpool FC have reportedly made a $67 million-worth offer for Napoli center-back Kalidou Koulibaly, who is also being chased by the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

According to Italian media reports, Napoli have rejected the offer from Liverpool but the Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is believed to be adamant on signing Sadio Mane’s Senegal teammate.

Koulibaly, who has been with Napoli since the 2014-15 season, is one of the best defenders at present and is wanted by many top-flight clubs including Liverpool’s Premier League rivals Man Utd and Chelsea.

Liverpool already have Virgil van Dijk, who is regarded as the best defender at present. He leads their backline with Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, and Dejan Lovren. However, the Croatian is expected to leave the club at the end of the 2019-20 season and that’s where Koulibaly would fit in perfectly. If the Reds sign Koulibaly too, their defending department will be one to watch out for.

However, Napoli are seeking a massive price of $112 million for the defender, who has made 235 appearances for them so far across all competitions. The release clause is being considered unrealistic in the ongoing tough times of coronavirus pandemic.

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has made himself very clear that he won’t accept any bargain offers for Koulibaly, who is no less than an asset for the Italian side.

“If City or United or PSG with $112 million showed up, I would think about it. They would probably leave, its always if [the player's] will is to leave. I don’t even consider an offer of €60million ($67 million), I am solid. If I wanted to win the Scudetto at any cost today I would find myself with three, four hundred million debts. I look around and see companies at 500, 600 million, less a billion, I don’t owe anyone a s--t,” De Laurentiis told Corriere dello Sport, as reported by Express UK.

Liverpool recently backed out of the race to sign Timo Werner, who had been their top target ahead of the summer transfer window. However, RB Leipzig had labeled the forward with a price of $58 million and the Reds made themselves clear that they could not afford the German. While Klopp had asked Werner to wait for a year, the player instead agreed to join Chelsea, who reportedly have offered him a five-year deal of $210 million-a-week.