Transfer Centre

Manchester United 'to wait for Kalidou Koulibaly'

By Matt Law, Football Editor | 08 January 2019

Manchester United will wait until the end of the season to move for Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly, according to a report.

Manchester United will reportedly wait until the end of the season to move for Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly.

Koulibaly, 27, is widely regarded as one of the best central defenders in world football and has previously been the subject of a £95m bid from United, according to Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis.

Over the weekend, it was reported that United had identified Koulibaly as their leading defensive target, despite previously being strongly linked with Leicester City's Harry Maguire and Tottenham Hotspur's Toby Alderweireld.

According to ESPN, the Red Devils had hoped that Napoli's exit from the Champions League would help them land Koulibaly this month, but the 20-time English champions are now prepared to wait until the summer to land the Senegal international.

The same report claims that Koulibaly is open to joining United at the end of the campaign.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is currently in charge of first-team affairs at Old Trafford, but the club are expected to name a new long-term manager at the end of the season.