De Laurentiis claims Chelsea offered €58m for Koulibaly
Chelsea were willing to pay €58 million for defender Kalidou Koulibaly, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has stated.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has claimed Chelsea tabled an €58 million offer for Kalidou Koulibaly in the closing stages of the transfer window.
The Senegal international was heavily linked with a move away from Napoli ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, with Antonio Conte reportedly keen to lure him Stamford Bridge.
Nevertheless, Napoli refused to sell Koulibaly, who eventually signed a new and improved deal - that runs until 2021 - with the Serie A side instead.
"In the last few days of the transfer market, I refused an offer worth €58million for Koulibaly," De Laurentiis told reporters.
"Conte will say that it is not true, but he offered 30, then 40 and then €50million.
"But I had already made the decision for myself that he would stay put for another year.
"We can talk again next year..."