Chelsea were prepared to spend £58m on Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer transfer window, according to the Italian side's president Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The 25-year-old was strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in the summer, but remained in Naples, where he signed a new long-term contract last month.
De Laurentiis has claimed that his club rejected a bid of close to £60m from Chelsea for the Senegal international, who is now contracted to the Serie A club until June 2021.
"They offered to me £30m, £35m, £40m, £45m, £50m," De Laurentiis told Sky Sports News. "Mr [Antonio] Conte I said, '[The] marina is behind me, follow me', I offered him that. Last moment, two days before the closing of the market, I hear £58m - something like that."
Koulibaly, who joined Napoli from Genk in the summer of 2014, made 42 appearances for the Italian giants in all competitions last season.
Written by
Matt Law
Matt Law
