Kalidou Koulibaly pens emotional farewell to Napoli fans to thank them for creating a ‘love story’ during eight years in Italy… with the centre back jetting off to Las Vegas to join up with Chelsea ahead of sealing £34m move
- Kalidou Koulibaly has posted an emotional goodbye message to Napoli fans
- The Senegalese centre back is set to join Chelsea in a move worth £34million
- Koulibaly, 31, is flying to Las Vegas to join the Blues’ pre-season tour of the US
- And the powerful defender thanked Napoli supporters for creating a ‘love story’
Kalidou Koulibaly has posted an emotional goodbye message to Napoli fans ahead of his £34million move from Chelsea.
The powerful defender has completed his medical in London and he comes in to replace Antonio Rudiger, who left this summer on a free to join Real Madrid.
But Koulibaly, 31, first penned a farewell to supporters of his former club on social media, thanking them for creating a ‘love story’ during his eight years in Italy.
Defender Kalidou Koulibaly (above) has posted an emotional goodbye message to Napoli fans
The 31-year-old Senegalese star is set to join Thomas Tuchel’s Blues in a deal worth £34million
On his Twitter account, he posted a picture of himself on a plane to America to join Chelsea’s pre-season tour with the caption: ‘Napoli, terra mia’ – translated to ‘Naples, my land’ – followed by a blue heart and signing off with his name.
On Instagram, the Senegalese international added: ‘June 1, 2014, an unforgettable date: my arrival in Naples, the beginning of a pure love story…
‘Thank you, Naples and Neapolitan(s), for all the love we gave each other. You were, to me, everything. Now I feel I need to leave and step back in the game, time for a new adventure.’
Centre half Koulibaly, who made 317 appearances in all competitions for the Partenopei, scoring 14 goals, will join his new team-mates in Las Vegas on Thursday evening ahead of his official arrival.
He will sign a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge, but is unlikely to be the last defensive reinforcement for Blues manager Thomas Tuchel, who is also interested in Paris Saint-Germain star Presnel Kimpembe.
Koulibaly will become the second signing of US tycoon Todd Boehly’s new era as owner, after the club signed Raheem Sterling for £50m from Manchester City on Wednesday.
