Hong Kong Phooey
Player Valuation: £8m
Everton wanted Kalidou Koulibaly last summer - here's why they should be after him again
Everton majority investor Farhad Moshiri said the Blues pursued Koulibaly last summer
Five defenders who Everton could target in the Summer
Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly was a transfer target for Everton last summer and reports suggest the Merseyside club have renewed their interest in the player.
Italian newspaper Il Mattino newspaper reckon Everton are tracking the Senegalese player, who is also admired by Chelsea.
Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri admitted the Blues were in the hunt for Koulibaly last season, but Napoli weren’t willing to part with the player.
But has he done enough in the last year to warrant Everton’s continued interest?
That question becomes more pertinent when you consider that the imposing defender - he has a 6ft 5in frame and has nicknames including K2 and The Wall - won’t come cheap.
He is said to have a release clause of £49 million.
Italian football writer Adam Digby believes Koulibaly has improved greatly in the last two seasons though and credits Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri with a role in that upturn.
On the Football Whispers website, Digby said Koulibaly, who is 25 years old, looked awkward and ungainly during Rafael Benitez’s final season in charge in Naples in 2014/15.
Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli in action
In the subsequent pre-season, photos from the club’s training camp showed Sarri dragging defenders into the right positions during drills.
He also used drones to track their movements.
Digby said: “[Sarri’s] mixture of old school drill-sergeant scoldings and modern technology seemed to work as every facet of Koulibaly’s game improved dramatically.
“He suddenly transformed from a player who looked like Bambi on Ice into a towering rock upon which opposition attacks now floundered.”
He’s praised for many aspects of his game including his aerial prowess and his tackling.
His growth as a player is shown in his distribution stats too.
Nearly nine out of ten of his passes this season have been accurate (89.6%) compared to 85.9% the previous season - he’s no hit-and-hoper and could confidently play the ball out from the back in the fast-paced Premier League.
Head coach of Napoli Maurizio Sarri
In fact, he’s among the top ten most accurate passers in Serie A this season.
His anticipation is also an asset and, of those Napoli players to play more than 10 games this season, he has made more blocks (0.9 per game) than any other.
Admittedly, he has conceded more fouls than all other regular Napoli players this season - 1.5 a game.
Centre-back Raul Albiol and right-back Elseid Hysaj have conceded fewer - 0.9 per game for both.
But they have also been booked more times than Koulibaly - eight and six times respectively compared to the Senegalese player’s modest four bookings.
If he’s smart with his fouls, Goodison Park wouldn’t be too concerned and he’s only been sent off once in his career, when he received his marching orders at Sampdoria during the 2014/15 season.
His value to Napoli was seen when he missed nine games at the turn of the year because of an injury and representing his country in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Napoli conceded 12 goals and kept just one clean sheet without Koulibaly, compared with letting in half the number of goals in the nine games before his absence.
Senegal's squad pose for a group picture before the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations match against Tunisia
Prior to losing Koulibaly for around a month-and-a-half, Napoli went on a run of three clean sheets in five games with him in the team - 5-0 away at Calgliari, 3-0 at home to Inter Milan and a 0-0 Champions League draw at the Stadio San Paolo with Dynamo Kiev.
He also had an assured performance in March in a 2-1 away win over Roma - Napoli’s adversary for second place in the league behind likely champions Juventus.
Koulibaly won three-quarters of his aerial battles against the Rome club and Everton would be happy to get a player who can perform in high-pressure games against rivals.
Former Croatian footballer Zvonimir Boban is a big fan.
The Sky Italia pundit has said of Koulibaly: “[His] improvement isn't notable, it’s extreme.
“For me, he's among the best in the world and he can still improve.
"He's matured in everything; character, technique... he now comes out with the ball in such an impeccable way and is always physically dominant.
“I think Napoli have uncovered a champion.”
An odd footnote in Koulibaly’s season has been his part in one of the most ridiculous refereeing decisions ever, which has since seen the official banned.
While facing South Africa for Senegal in a World Cup qualifier in November, the defender comfortably blocked a header in the area with his thigh.
Kalidou Koulibaly in action for Napoli
With his arms and hands nowhere near the ball and no players appealing for a penalty, the Ghanaian referee Joseph Odartei Lamptey pointed to the spot to the complete incredulity of the Senegal team.
South Africa duly scored and won the game 2-1, but Lamptey was banned by Fifa for life last month after being found guilty of influencing the result.
Watch from the start of the match highlights here to see the unbelievable decision.
And if all that hasn’t whetted your appetite for seeing Koulibaly in an Everton shirt, the YouTube compilation above might do the trick.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...verton-wanted-kalidou-koulibaly-last-12949999
Didn't we offer more than that last summer according to Moshiri? I'd rather him than any of the others linked including VVD. Find out if he would come, then offer the release clause if we're serious about wanting him.
Keane valued at 30 million plus with 12 months on his contract, VVD valued at 50 and we sold Stones for a similar fee to this fellas buy out.
Yes a lot of money, but it seems the going rate for top class centre backs.
Everton majority investor Farhad Moshiri said the Blues pursued Koulibaly last summer
Five defenders who Everton could target in the Summer
Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly was a transfer target for Everton last summer and reports suggest the Merseyside club have renewed their interest in the player.
Italian newspaper Il Mattino newspaper reckon Everton are tracking the Senegalese player, who is also admired by Chelsea.
Majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri admitted the Blues were in the hunt for Koulibaly last season, but Napoli weren’t willing to part with the player.
But has he done enough in the last year to warrant Everton’s continued interest?
That question becomes more pertinent when you consider that the imposing defender - he has a 6ft 5in frame and has nicknames including K2 and The Wall - won’t come cheap.
He is said to have a release clause of £49 million.
Italian football writer Adam Digby believes Koulibaly has improved greatly in the last two seasons though and credits Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri with a role in that upturn.
On the Football Whispers website, Digby said Koulibaly, who is 25 years old, looked awkward and ungainly during Rafael Benitez’s final season in charge in Naples in 2014/15.
Kalidou Koulibaly of SSC Napoli in action
In the subsequent pre-season, photos from the club’s training camp showed Sarri dragging defenders into the right positions during drills.
He also used drones to track their movements.
Digby said: “[Sarri’s] mixture of old school drill-sergeant scoldings and modern technology seemed to work as every facet of Koulibaly’s game improved dramatically.
“He suddenly transformed from a player who looked like Bambi on Ice into a towering rock upon which opposition attacks now floundered.”
He’s praised for many aspects of his game including his aerial prowess and his tackling.
His growth as a player is shown in his distribution stats too.
Nearly nine out of ten of his passes this season have been accurate (89.6%) compared to 85.9% the previous season - he’s no hit-and-hoper and could confidently play the ball out from the back in the fast-paced Premier League.
Head coach of Napoli Maurizio Sarri
In fact, he’s among the top ten most accurate passers in Serie A this season.
His anticipation is also an asset and, of those Napoli players to play more than 10 games this season, he has made more blocks (0.9 per game) than any other.
Admittedly, he has conceded more fouls than all other regular Napoli players this season - 1.5 a game.
Centre-back Raul Albiol and right-back Elseid Hysaj have conceded fewer - 0.9 per game for both.
But they have also been booked more times than Koulibaly - eight and six times respectively compared to the Senegalese player’s modest four bookings.
If he’s smart with his fouls, Goodison Park wouldn’t be too concerned and he’s only been sent off once in his career, when he received his marching orders at Sampdoria during the 2014/15 season.
His value to Napoli was seen when he missed nine games at the turn of the year because of an injury and representing his country in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Napoli conceded 12 goals and kept just one clean sheet without Koulibaly, compared with letting in half the number of goals in the nine games before his absence.
Senegal's squad pose for a group picture before the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations match against Tunisia
Prior to losing Koulibaly for around a month-and-a-half, Napoli went on a run of three clean sheets in five games with him in the team - 5-0 away at Calgliari, 3-0 at home to Inter Milan and a 0-0 Champions League draw at the Stadio San Paolo with Dynamo Kiev.
He also had an assured performance in March in a 2-1 away win over Roma - Napoli’s adversary for second place in the league behind likely champions Juventus.
Koulibaly won three-quarters of his aerial battles against the Rome club and Everton would be happy to get a player who can perform in high-pressure games against rivals.
Former Croatian footballer Zvonimir Boban is a big fan.
The Sky Italia pundit has said of Koulibaly: “[His] improvement isn't notable, it’s extreme.
“For me, he's among the best in the world and he can still improve.
"He's matured in everything; character, technique... he now comes out with the ball in such an impeccable way and is always physically dominant.
“I think Napoli have uncovered a champion.”
An odd footnote in Koulibaly’s season has been his part in one of the most ridiculous refereeing decisions ever, which has since seen the official banned.
While facing South Africa for Senegal in a World Cup qualifier in November, the defender comfortably blocked a header in the area with his thigh.
Kalidou Koulibaly in action for Napoli
With his arms and hands nowhere near the ball and no players appealing for a penalty, the Ghanaian referee Joseph Odartei Lamptey pointed to the spot to the complete incredulity of the Senegal team.
South Africa duly scored and won the game 2-1, but Lamptey was banned by Fifa for life last month after being found guilty of influencing the result.
Watch from the start of the match highlights here to see the unbelievable decision.
And if all that hasn’t whetted your appetite for seeing Koulibaly in an Everton shirt, the YouTube compilation above might do the trick.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...verton-wanted-kalidou-koulibaly-last-12949999
Didn't we offer more than that last summer according to Moshiri? I'd rather him than any of the others linked including VVD. Find out if he would come, then offer the release clause if we're serious about wanting him.
Keane valued at 30 million plus with 12 months on his contract, VVD valued at 50 and we sold Stones for a similar fee to this fellas buy out.
Yes a lot of money, but it seems the going rate for top class centre backs.
