JAKARTA - New Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed that he was close to joining the Premier League club in 2015 but his transfer was blocked by Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis.
The 31-year-old defender stated that Chelsea manager at the time, Antonio Conte, who is now in charge of Tottenham Hotspurs, had tried to sign him from Napoli after a season in Serie A.
"I've conveyed to the owner of the club the desire to join Chelsea, but he said it was not possible," said Koulibaly in an interview with the Guardian quoted by Reuters on Thursday.
"That's why I waited and kept talking to them, but they really didn't want me to leave, so I decided to extend my contract at Napoli.
"For me the offer at that time was very difficult to refuse, because playing in the Premier League was my dream since childhood," he added.
Koulibaly has finally made his dream come true after finalizing his move in the middle of last month after Chelsea reportedly paid £33m to Napoli.
The Senegal captain when he won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations also confirmed his ambition to win every competition he participated in with Chelsea.
"From personal experience, I know you shouldn't limit your dreams and my dream is to win everything with Chelsea," he said.
"Of course it will be difficult. I don't mean to be arrogant. I come with full respect to everyone, but I know Chelsea is a big team and a team that must and is used to winning," said Koulibaly complete.
Last season, Chelsea won two trophies, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, despite finishing third in the English Premier League, being eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals, as well as being runners-up in the FA Cup and the English League Cup.
Koulibaly, who inherited the number 26 jersey from John Terry, has the potential to make his official debut when Chelsea kick off the 2022-23 Premier League with a trip to Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday the day after tomorrow.
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