Napoli star could move to Everton in swap deal for defender – originally posted on Sportslens.com
Napoli are eyeing up Everton centre-back Yerry Mina and could offer Kalidou Koulibaly in a swap deal, reports Football Insider.
Mina came to Everton in the summer transfer window of 2018 from Barcelona for an estimated €30 million, having scored three goals at the World Cup in Russia.
In his debut season, he played fewer than 1,000 league minutes following a series of injury worries.
Since then, he has played more regularly, starting 46 Premier League games over the last two campaigns. In total, he has made 63 appearances in English football’s top flight, scoring five times.
This has attracted the attention of Serie A club Napoli, who could be willing to offer star centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly in exchange for the Colombian, according to Football Insider.
Koulibaly was once one of the world’s most valuable defenders. Last summer, he was strongly linked with a move to Manchester City, but they opted instead for Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake.
One year on, and his value has somewhat depreciated. He will turn 30 in June and has just over two years remaining on his contract. Nonetheless, he would still fetch a decent fee if he was sold at the end of the season.
Toffees manager Carlo Ancelotti is known to be a big admirer of the Senegalese defender, having previously worked with him at Napoli. Recently, it was claimed that the Italian had made Koulibaly his number one target.
However, a move might not be so straightforward. Bitter rivals Liverpool have also been linked with the 29-year-old. Despite their underwhelming season, Jurgen Klopp’s side are a far more attractive proposition.
Read also: Everton and Chelsea contact 104-goal striker amid contract decision.