Kalidou Koulibaly

[ojeme]

Let me get this right. He’s one of the best defenders in world football. Turns 28 tomorrow so is in his prime. He’s a giant at 6 foot 5. He can also play either side as fullback as well as deputising at CDM. He would cost around the same as Harry’s Maguire. Yet some people are saying he’s too old?

I really don't get it.

 

[p.taker]

Let me get this right. He’s one of the best defenders in world football. Turns 28 tomorrow so is in his prime. He’s a giant at 6 foot 5. He can also play either side as fullback as well as deputising at CDM. He would cost around the same as Harry’s Maguire. Yet some people are saying he’s too old?

There is probably at least a 30m pound valuation difference and he is not homegrown like Maguire, which could be a consideration.

 

[ojeme]

Impossible to take any comment that starts with "age is irrelevant" seriously.

If you're investing £85m in an asset, age is very fucking relevant, espeically in a defender with exceptional pace being one of his stand out qualities.


If you spend 85m on Koulibaly and he's not a success, over 30 years old you will not see any meaningful amount of that money again.
If you spend it on a 21 year old, you can still recoup 30-50% after 3 mediocre years.

Youth is not the first consideration but ability. Even if a player has time, if he never delivers at our insanely high levels, many-a-times the signing will prove to have been wasteful or insufficient even in the long term.

With all due respect to Stones, the fact that we are in need of a CB now even though we have him and Nico just goes to show that young players can only be said to have time on their side to the extent of their ability to grow and mature to the level required of them.

 

[Parisian]

Let me get this right. He’s one of the best defenders in world football. Turns 28 tomorrow so is in his prime. He’s a giant at 6 foot 5. He can also play either side as fullback as well as deputising at CDM. He would cost around the same as Harry’s Maguire. Yet some people are saying he’s too old?

Agree with you on almost all the points but his price.

He would cost more than Maguire both for the fee and the wages. Napoli are fierce negociators. They don't need to seel, want to keep him and he is a long term contract. I remember when PSG bought two Napoli players : Lavezzi and Cavani. They didn't accept anything but the full clause money. When PSG was interested in Allan this winter, they were asking for 120 M or something like that. They are crazy hard to negociate with.

 

[NorthamptonBlue]

Well Everton were supposedly going to pay £18m for him before he destroyed his knee. That was when he was 27, 4 years after signing him for 32-40m.

I’ve supposedly given up smoking and eating chips :)

 

[citizens_1976]

It's Koulibaly, De Ligt or bust for me. I don't want another body at CB to fill the spaces. I want someone to come in and walk into the first team.

There are only two defenders who can do that. De Ligt and Koulibaly. I'd rather keep what we have if we can't bring in any of these two.

 

[Benarbia’s Backheel]

Van Dijk was 26 when they bought him, and was pretty much a guaranteed instant success as he'd got 3 seasons experience in the league.

Koulibaly will be 28, has only played well in Italy, and does he even speak the language? It's impossible to be the leader at the heart of defence a la Kompany/Van Dijk if you can't communicate with everyone. We could quite feasibly spend 18 months waiting for him to get comfortable here and he'd be on the verge of 30 - or he could never settle in England.


He's a very good player, I'm not sure he'd be a very good transfer for us.

Yes he was 26 when they signed him, but what would he be worth now? £140m?

 

[blueparrot]

It's Koulibaly, De Ligt or bust for me. I don't want another body at CB to fill the spaces. I want someone to come in and walk into the first team.

There are only two defenders who can do that. De Ligt and Koulibaly. I'd rather keep what we have if we can't bring in any of these two.

There are loads of centre backs out there , just because you or I don't know them well enough doesn't mean the club can't find one.

 

[ojeme]

We must take into consideration the fact that we may be loosing two very capable defenders from our choice starting 11 come the start of next season in Kyle and Kompany so the least we can do is to be absolutely spot on in our choice of a CB or even the choice whether or not to sign a CB.

If you ask me, prevailing on Danilo to stay whilst getting a CB in Koulibaly's ilk might make sense more than not signing a CB but going for a Cancelo instead.

I'd love for us to get both but if that would be asking too much from our budget I'd rather we went for Koulibaly.

 

[citizens_1976]

There are loads of centre backs out there , just because you or I don't know them well enough doesn't mean the club can't find one.

That is true, but players like Manolas and Maguire aren't going to cut it in my eyes.

They are squad players at best, we need someone to come in and command a starting spot. Konate of Leipzig is meant to be a very good talent, but it isn't a dead cert that he will come in and fulfill his potential. De Ligt and Koulibaly are dead certs in my opinion, i want someone to come in and fill me with complete confidence.

Kompany was a brilliant leader and he was someone who will be missed more than we all think. These are very big boots to fill and i want someone who is up to the job.

 

[Benarbia’s Backheel]

That is true, but players like Manolas and Maguire aren't going to cut it in my eyes.

They are squad players at best, we need someone to come in and command a starting spot. Konate of Leipzig is meant to be a very good talent, but it isn't a dead cert that he will come in and fulfill his potential. De Ligt and Koulibaly are dead certs in my opinion, i want someone to come in and fill me with complete confidence.

Kompany was a brilliant leader and he was someone who will be missed more than we all think. These are very big boots to fill and i want someone who is up to the job.

You are right.

The way I look at it is, if we get to the Champs League Final against Real and we suffer an injury to Laporte, would we feel confident with a CB pairing of Stones and Maguire?

I wouldn’t.

I’d feel much more confident with a pairing of Stones and Koulibaly.

 

[yankblue]

Is there any truth to this? Seems like Angelino, Rodri, and Cancelo rumors have some substance so I wonder how we'd make this work with squad and financial restrictions...just paper talk or is this on? Would be a great signing imo

 

[citizens_1976]

You are right.

The way I look at it is, if we get to the Champs League Final against Real and we suffer an injury to Laporte, would we feel confident with a CB pairing of Stones and Maguire?

I wouldn’t.

I’d feel much more confident with a pairing of Stones and Koulibaly.

Yeah definitely. As a club, if we are to move to the next level, we need players that are going to make a big difference to our team.

Cancelo and Rodri will be very good signings, but Koulibaly is the one signing that will be the biggest difference maker.

If Liverpool were to get Koulibaly to partner VVD, i really would be fearful. Their defence would be absolutely immense. If we offer 80-85m for him, lets see what Napoli come back with. In a market where Lukaku costs 80m, Joao Felix could be going for over 100m and Higuain signing for Juve for 80m, i think 80-85m on Koulibaly is a very fair price.

He is world class, that is just the going rate now. Pay up and a Champions League trophy could follow.

 

[Dribble]

Let me get this right. He’s one of the best defenders in world football. Turns 28 tomorrow so is in his prime. He’s a giant at 6 foot 5. He can also play either side as fullback as well as deputising at CDM. He would cost around the same as Harry’s Maguire. Yet some people are saying he’s too old?

Many will quote that he has little or no resale value at that age. City buy players to play, not to build them up & sell them on in their prime for a vast profit.

We need someone of Koulibaly's ilk now even more since Kompany's left, so like you I fail to see what his age has to do with anything. At 27, we'll have a world class defender until he's 32/33.

We took a similar punt with Fernandinho. Is anyone arsed about the age he was when we signed him, or his resale value if we decided to sell him this window?

 

[leo_city]

slight difference. Koulibaly turns 28 tomorrow.

 

[salfordbluetrue]

That is true, but players like Manolas and Maguire aren't going to cut it in my eyes.

They are squad players at best, we need someone to come in and command a starting spot. Konate of Leipzig is meant to be a very good talent, but it isn't a dead cert that he will come in and fulfill his potential. De Ligt and Koulibaly are dead certs in my opinion, i want someone to come in and fill me with complete confidence.

Kompany was a brilliant leader and he was someone who will be missed more than we all think. These are very big boots to fill and i want someone who is up to the job.

I am not a believer that there is a NEED first of, We have a first choice Stones and Laporte, we lost our back up CB in Kompany as harsh as that sounds that is what he has been under Pep, who we go after depends on how Pep views Ottamendi 3rd or 4th choice?, I think Pep wants 3 first choices and DeLigt is that one but he wants Barca? that leaves us with a problem Mangala is a good footballer as Koulibaly and Maguire so those are no go for me Manolas is slightly better than Ottamendi so that means for me Konate probably £50 million or Sabila probably £35 million two prospect but both at a better stage than Stones when we bought him
That would be my choice but i think if Pep does not get DeLigt he will run with Garcia and drop Rodi or Fernadinho in there when necessary

 

[citizens_1976]

Many will quote that he has little or no resale value at that age. City buy players to play, not to build them up & sell them on in their prime for a vast profit.

We need someone of Koulibaly's ilk now even more since Kompany's left, so like you I fail to see what his age has to do with anything. At 27, we'll have a world class defender until he's 32/33.

We took a similar punt with Fernandinho. Is anyone arsed about the age he was when we signed him, or his resale value if we decided to sell him this window?

Couldn't agree more.

 

[citizens_1976]

I am not a believer that there is a NEED first of, We have a first choice Stones and Laporte, we lost our back up CB in Kompany as harsh as that sounds that is what he has been under Pep, who we go after depends on how Pep views Ottamendi 3rd or 4th choice?, I think Pep wants 3 first choices and DeLigt is that one but he wants Barca? that leaves us with a problem Mangala is a good footballer as Koulibaly and Maguire so those are no go for me Manolas is slightly better than Ottamendi so that means for me Konate probably £50 million or Sabila probably £35 million two prospect but both at a better stage than Stones when we bought him
That would be my choice but i think if Pep does not get DeLigt he will run with Garcia and drop Rodi or Fernadinho in there when necessary

You mean that first choice Stones who can't last a full season at the top of his game?

Kompany had to come in twice in two seasons to get us over the line. Stones isn't trustworthy.

 

[Dribble]

slight difference. Koulibaly turns 28 tomorrow.

Makes no odds to me mate. We need him from 28 - 33. By this time hopefully we'll have our fill of homegrown talent to choose from.

 

[leo_city]

Makes no odds to me mate. We need him from 28 - 33. By this time hopefully we'll have our fill of homegrown talent to choose from.

I fully agree. I want it to happen but City seem to have no interest whatsoever