Barcelona requested Kalidou Koulibaly to wait for them instead of agreeing a move to Stamford Bridge.

Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly was sought after by Napoli, and Chelsea had competition for his services. Barcelona, a powerhouse in Spain, apparently had interest in Koulibaly as well. The Blues and Napoli have reached an agreement for the signing of the 31-year-old, who is expected to join Chelsea this summer. Sport claims that Barcelona asked Koulibaly to postpone his rumored transfer to Chelsea and wait for them instead. However, a €40 million agreement to bring the defender to Thomas Tuchel's team is almost complete. According to Fabrizio Romano, he will likely sign a long-term contract with a compensation package worth €10 million per season.

Barcelona are believed to be interested in signing Koulibaly as they view him as a potential replacement for veteran defender Gerard Pique. The 35-year-old has been unable to maintain the consistency and level of performance that has made him a legend at Camp Nou.
The Catalan giants will therefore be eager to sign a world-class defender capable of providing leadership as an adequate replacement for Pique.Kalidou Koulibaly joined Napoli from Belgian club Genk in 2014. He has made 317 appearances in all competitions for the Italian giants and has become one of the best defenders in Serie A.The 31-year-old has just one year left on his contract with Napoli and reportedly rejected the chance to extend his deal with the club as per Daily Mail. The club have therefore seemingly opted to sell the defender rather than risk losing him on a free transfer next year.Koulibaly has reportedly decided to join Premier League giants Chelsea, despite Barcelona's request. Thomas Tuchel's side have been desperate to reinforce their defense. Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen left the club last month after the expiration of their contracts, thereby leaving a massive hole in the Blues' defense.The Senegal international is expected to form a formidable partnership with Brazilian defender Thiago Silva on defense next season.

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