KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Mane been asked to persuade Koulibaly to join!

Liverpool FC reportedly are planning to use Sadio Mane to persuade Kalidou Koulibaly to move from Napoli to Anfield amid interest from Manchester City.

Napoli chief had earlier confirmed that Koulibaly could leave the Italian side, provided the club gets the right price for him. Even though their discussions with Man City about Koulibaly's possible move to Etihad have stalled because of the player's hefty asking price, expected to be at least $100 million, the former Premier League champions are still linked with the 29-year-old.

Liverpool were also chasing Koulibaly, who was expected to form a formidable partnership with Virgil van Dijk, but were put off by the player's huge transfer fee.

French publication Le Parisien has revealed that Liverpool have not given up hope yet in Koublibaly's case and may ask star striker Sadio Mane to convince his Senegal teammate to choose The Reds instead of Man City. Koulibaly is Mane's captain at the Senegal side and the two have built a close relationship over the years while establishing themselves as one of the best in European soccer.

Considering Napoli do not want Koulibaly to leave on loan, Liverpool will certainly have to spend at least $100 million if the Premier League champions want to acquire the services of the Senegal national. Liverpool recently signed Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich, Diogo Jota from Wolves and Greek defender Konstantinos Tsimikas at the ongoing summer market.

The Le Parisien report has also stated that since Man City have not made an official bid for Kohlibaly yet, the player has been linked with a few other top European clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). According to the French report, Koulibaly is not close to signing with the Ligue 1 champions.

Having impressed at Napoli over the years, Koulibaly has been termed as one of the best defenders at present. The center-back, who moved from Belgian club Genk to Napoli in 2014, is contracted with the Italian side until 2021.

Koulibaly has made 241 competitive appearances and has won two trophies with the Serie A side across seven seasons.

https://www.ibtimes.com/liverpool-may-as...-report-3051077

Watching the League Cup game and the fringe contingent of players used and then seeing VVD having to be used must have irked Klopp.
By all accounts the domestic cup comps are going to be used for the fringe and kids to give the main 1st team a rest. However if Matip and Gomez are going to be on their ever continuing carousel of injury prone then Klopp has to tell Edwards and Co that he needs another CB.

With Koulibaly unhappy at Napoli and wanting to leave and Man City not pursuing him there is an opportunity for Edwards to come to some sort of agreement with the prickly Napoli President De Laurentiis. Koulibaly is at a point now where he must crave the silverware his abilities deserve and Napoli are not in Europe this coming season.

Napoli's fairly new Manager Gattusso could probably do with some fresh impetus to his team and they did express an interest in Origi not so long ago, so there's an opportunity to use at least one player plus cash. Others that may see Napoli as a destination for them ressurect their floundering Careers from us...Shaqiri, Ox, Grujic and I'd even throw Keita into the mix because it plainly isn't working out for him with us.

Here's hoping Mane can persuade Koulibaly to join us and Edwards to weave his magic at making it happen.

I just don't see that happening as he is very expensive. We do need another cb though.

Yeah, young up & coming is what we will go for I think.

Players in that ilk tend to settle for fewer appearances than ready made stars.

Our problem is that we do have 2 good cb's (plus VVD) when they are fit. But since that almost never happens (at least not at the same time), we certainly need a 4:th choice senior cb.

Nat Phillips should be given a go, he did half a season at Stuttgart and did well, he's 23 now, should be ready, certainly as 4 choice CB, whenever I have seen him pre-season and cup games he looks good.

No way are we going to spend £70+million on Koulibaly, he's a similar age to VvD, we need to be buying/developing the next VvD.

Suprised Koulibaly's not gone somewhere if they're not even in Europe this season. He'd get into most top teams.

I'd happily part with a 2-3 fringe players, Wilson, Brewster, even Ox, if it meant getting a partner worthy of VVD. I still think Gomez needs to improve.
As stated, certainly not an FSG signing.