Chelsea to battle La Liga giant in race to sign long-term transfer target

Catalan publication Sport reports that Spanish La Liga giant FC Barcelona are planning to bring in two central defenders of which Napoli center-half Kalidou Koulibaly is believed to be one of the names on their wish list.

Barcelona is currently monitoring closely and following the defender closely but club President Bartomeu knows that it will take a huge offer to convince the Italian Serie A club to cash in on the player given that his current deal with the club runs out in 2021.

The Catalan club are aware that they must do something quickly given interest shown in the defender by Antonio Conte and Chelsea as well as Serie A Champions Juventus this past summer transfer window where the Serie A side had identified Kalidou Koulibaly to replace Leonardo Bonucci perfectly, according to Sport reports. 

The defender has played a major role in helping the Serie A side move to the top of the Serie A log, having played the entire minute of their League season so far.

And his displays on the pitch of play have supposedly caught the attention of the La Liga club as well.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde is seriously interested in signing the Senegal international.

As for the Blues, they failed to sign Koulibaly or Bonucci before the beginning of the League season and eventually bought Antonio Rudiger from AS Roma.