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Kalidou Koulibaly
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We conceded more goals than half of the league. We can't build up from the back in the slightest. The exact reason for that is because of a massive lack of quality in the back 4 and how we've neglected it for years. We need a top CB, a right back, a midfielder and a winger at the bare minimum this summer. Probably 2 midfielders, maybe even 3. But a CB is a must, especially if we can get someone like Koulibaly. Just look at how Liverpool went from a joke defensively to having the best defence in Europe just by adding Van Dijk instead of always using both Lovren and Matip. We need both a right back and a CB, but that's one area we can't afford to cheap out in.
This with bells on.
He's closer to 187cm. I think they got it wrong on a Fifa game and Google uses that wrong height of 195cm.
I’m going off ESPN.
Watching him vs. Icardi he’s a good bit taller than him so must be closer to 190. Someone get the tape measure out.
Either way if he’s a good bit taller than Icardi then he’s plenty tall enough to be a great compliment to Lindelöf.
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Either way, he's nowhere near 195cm tall. He'd be about the same height as Lindelof or Bailly.
No,he is not even 1.87cm.Look at team or squad photos of Napoli,he stands on his toes and is smaller than Milik who is 1.86cm and much smaller than Albiol.
He is not someone to compliment Lindelof for certainly,more of a upgrade on him and that is not what we need this summer.
Maguire would be a better option for example or Tah to partner Lindelof because of aerial presence which he misses to be a top notch defender,for certainly in Premier league.
How is Maguire a better fit if Koulibaly is better in every department? Being prem proven isn't a worry for Koulibaly, the guy is physically huge and a beast. You have to also look at the cost and how much of an improvement would they be. Koulibaly would be worth the huge investment. Maguire would be a small improvement. Both would require huge fees. That's why I understand not wanting to splash the cash on Maguire but being open to it for Koulibaly.
Heading is not just about height though - strength, jumping ability, courage and timing are all other important aspects. Nesta was 187, Maldini was 186 and Cannavaro was 177! If height was everying, our team of giants under Jose would have scored from most corners that we had.
If he earns us 10 Points pr season - do you Think that is Worth £26 million a season ? I do!
The name Karl Heinz Riedle springs to mind - he was lethal in the air and I dont think he was 1.80
And we don't know how much he will cost us well - that 150m Euro is just Napoli's valuation of him. I think we will spend 200m pounds at least before player sales this summer anyway, especially considering how skint we were last summer.
We need leaders and if this lad is capable then get him in. My only reservation is that he hasn't won anything but then neither had VVD before moving to Liverpool.
Cannavaro also the last defender to win the Ballon D'or. Pretty sure he was jacked on something though, he could leap about three times his height in the air from a standing jump and his best season came when he was about 33. Suspicious...
This is Koulibaly next to Sane, who is 196 cm. So I suppose Koulibaly is somewhere between 187 and 190
I'm worried we're going to pay silly money for him and it be a disaster again.
Is there a reason why no other club seems to be in for him? Age? Injury record? Price? Anything?
Is there a reason why no other club seems to be in for him? Age? Injury record? Price? Anything?
That exact reason. While he is a good player no one is willing to pay the £100m+
Where can I find this itk on reddit?
Not many top teams need him as well for a high price. Most of them already have settle CB pairings, and are all going after the shiny new toy in De Ligt.
Here's his Twitter: https://twitter.com/u_xisimon
And here's the Reddit post: https://www.reddit.com/r/reddevils/comments/bmxzl8/summer_2019_update_1_10th_may_2019/
Confirmed as a tier 2 source by the mods there as he appears to know someone high up at United.
Heading comparison for aerial duels per 90 minutes this season.
Koulibaly: 2.2 won vs 1.5 lost.
Lindelof: 2.1 won vs 1.4 lost.
Smalling: 4.0 won vs 2.3 lost.
Maguire: 4.2 won vs 1.2 lost.
He's definitely not an aerially dominant centre back. Lindelof has improved a lot in this regard considering he was losing more headers than he won in his first season but as a partnership in the PL they would be considered vulnerable.
Koulibaly: 2.2 won vs 1.5 lost.
Lindelof: 2.1 won vs 1.4 lost.
Smalling: 4.0 won vs 2.3 lost.
Maguire: 4.2 won vs 1.2 lost.
He's definitely not an aerially dominant centre back. Lindelof has improved a lot in this regard considering he was losing more headers than he won in his first season but as a partnership in the PL they would be considered vulnerable.
We don't know this to be the case as he simply hasn't played PL football.
Would be an utterly terrible signing for us this summer, spending what would be way over half our transfer budget on a player who by the time we are ready to compete, or even near competing would be in decline.
He's the sort of signing you make when your, just falling short and need that experienced bit of quality to take you over the line to win trophies. Not the sort of signing you make, when your squads a mess and needs a massive change of personal and attitude.
Not to mention if he would agree to come us this summer, when we don't have champions league, in what is likely to be his last big contract, he is going to want an insane wage, and we already have Sanchez's wage been an issue we don't want to add to that problem.
He's the sort of signing you make when your, just falling short and need that experienced bit of quality to take you over the line to win trophies. Not the sort of signing you make, when your squads a mess and needs a massive change of personal and attitude.
Not to mention if he would agree to come us this summer, when we don't have champions league, in what is likely to be his last big contract, he is going to want an insane wage, and we already have Sanchez's wage been an issue we don't want to add to that problem.
And still hasn't won anything yet
Regardless of how much it gets ridiculed here, he's too old for a big fee transfer. For all we know he might need a year to settle into the team and the league by the time he'd be on his way to a physical decline and added to our list of deadwood.
Even at half of that incredibly silly release clause, he wouldn't be worth it.
Even at half of that incredibly silly release clause, he wouldn't be worth it.
Well that’s the risk I guess. It isn’t my money, I’d like us to sign him instead of no-one.
Yes let's sign worse defenders than Koulibaly because they can head the ball a bit better..
Why not just keep Smalling at that rate.
Despite all the talk on this today, I'm not buying it one bit. I Don't think we'll be spending £100m on a soon to be 28 year old CB.
If Napoli would take 65/70m then it's more realistic. No other club in the world would pay 100 for him. That should tell us we shouldn't either. Find someone else if that's the price.
If Napoli would take 65/70m then it's more realistic. No other club in the world would pay 100 for him. That should tell us we shouldn't either. Find someone else if that's the price.
Spending £100m on him sounds exactly the type of transfer we would do. Clubs must rub their hands when we come calling.
De Ligt would be cheaper and he is 8 years younger.
If we sign Koulibaly for 100m, I hope we can also get Alderweireld for 25m.
I haven't seen enough of Koulibaly to make any type of insightful or accurate judgment of him. He looked good at times in those matches versus Arsenal and Liverpool this year but also made some mistakes that I would not expect from a CB hyped as highly as he is.
I have this inherent concern from buying from Italy though, the pace of the game is so much slower, can expose flaws not seen previously. Seems ridiculous(on my part) from a country with such a storied defensive reputation, but from the money we are talking about you can't make a mistake.
I have this inherent concern from buying from Italy though, the pace of the game is so much slower, can expose flaws not seen previously. Seems ridiculous(on my part) from a country with such a storied defensive reputation, but from the money we are talking about you can't make a mistake.
Same reason Van Dijk stayed at Southampton for so long. Most clubs don't need to spend crazy money on CBs. Real Madrid have Varane and Ramos and decent back ups. PSG have Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Kimpembe, etc. City have Stones, Kompany, Otamendi, Laporte. Teams just don't tend to spend massively on a CB unless they are in dire need (like Liverpool were, or we are).
Was Liverpool crazy for spending £75m on Van Dijk? They're the same age (though yes they bought him last summer). Its kind if the same situation. Koulibaly has been one of the top CBs for a while now. Theres no doubts about his talent.
No its not. Liverpool didn't have a bunch of other holes to fill. Also from the sounds of it Napoli want more than what Liverpool paid for vvd. So not exactly the same situation. Also he is a year older as you said. That plays into the situation
This is from last December..
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ly-will-eventually-be-sold-for-indecent-offer
https://bleacherreport.com/articles...ly-will-eventually-be-sold-for-indecent-offer
Same age as Van Dijk.
Not too old at all. Whether he's worth a mega fee is another thing.
But VVD was a year younger, already well settled in the league and cost 55m GBP less than Koulibaly's release clause. I'd say it was still a big gamble from Liverpool although a great one in the hindsight.
With that kind of money we could get two younger and yet very good defenders. We could get Maguire + Munier and still have sizable amount of spare cash left for strengthening another position. When a team has only one weak position like Liverpool did, they can afford to splash a big chunk of their transfer kitty on that position. We have holes everywhere in the team and need quantity to go along with quality.
Was there a tweet about him thats disappeared from the transfer tweet forum or am I seeing things?
It was by a clear indykaila-type account (i.e. total bollocks)
feck sake. Cheers Damo
They did though. They signed Van Dijk, while they also had Alisson, fabinho and Keita to sign (keita was agreed but didnt join). Not like they spent a small amount on any of them. Their team had holes and at some point you just need to spend to fix it. Our right back, center back and midfield positions are positions that "just need spending". Proper spending. Not bringing in someone for massive money who is only a minor improvement like Maguire, but a proper top CB like Koulibaly.
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