Kalidou Koulibaly reiterates the ‘special relationship’ he has with Napoli fans and his disappointment at missing out on the Scudetto, but despite knowing there will be ‘changes’ at the club, he wants to stay put.

The defender’s current contract only runs to June 2023 and negotiations over an extension have been rocky, as he was asked to take a significant pay cut.

Napoli are in the process of cost-cutting exercises that have already seen them release Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens as free agents, with Fabian Ruiz and possibly Koulibaly also expected to move on.

“We are also going to lose a few players – some of them are going to leave, some contracts come to an end,” Koulibaly told BBC Sport Africa.

“So we’ll see what’s going to happen but knowing that we’ll be in the Champions League will help us to get prepared properly for it.

“There are going to be a few changes next season. I know that Napoli will do everything to be fighting again in the title race.”

The Partenopei had been challenging for most of the campaign until falling away in the final couple of months, eventually finishing third.

“I cannot say that I am totally happy, because the title race was something important for us as well but we failed to win the points that we needed to win.

“The fans were a little unhappy because they wanted us to fight for the title. Considering the fact that we have great fans, it’s a shame and it really hurts.

“When you play for Napoli, you play for a little country and you must not forget that. They love their football, they love their club and they love their colours.

“We could have done better but we can be happy to be in the Champions League next season.”

It was a successful season for Koulibaly, who won the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal, and the reaction from Napoli supporters did not go unnoticed.

His comments seem to suggest he has no intention of leaving the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, despite the interest from Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

“There is a lot of love. They appreciate me, I appreciate them back and they know that I’m doing my best on the pitch for them.

“When you play a game and they all scream your name, it’s great. We can say I grew up here and my kids were born here so I’ve got a very special bond with people of Naples.

“When I went to AFCON I took a little part of Napoli with me because they are Senegal’s first supporters. I received a lot of messages from Napoli fans on social media when we won the tournament. I’m really happy about this special relationship.

“When my friends or my brothers arrive in Naples, they are welcomed in such a good way. There is something special between them and I.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Tickets Kit Collector