Kalidou Koulibaly has revealed that Napoli knocked back several transfer during the summer transfer window, claiming that it was the confidence displayed Maurizio Sarri in his ability that urged him to stay at the club.
The 24-year-old was heavily linked with a move away from the San Paolo outfit after failing to live up to expectations in his debut season at the club.
However, the Senegalese centre-back opted to stay on insisting that it was the correct move while also revealing that Premier League outfit Norwich were interested in player.
“In the summer, some clubs tried to buy me but Napoli said no,” he told L’Equipe.
“I know that they declined a €15 million offer from Norwich. Sarri, though, believed in me and he gave me confidence.”
Koulibaly went on to reflect on his transfer to Napoli in the summer of 2014, revealing that he thought it was a joke when then coach Rafael Benitez gave him a phone call confirming his interest in bringing him to the Serie A.
“He was important to me, I wanted him to stay at Naples<” he continued. “He called me twice when I was in Genk, in December 2013. At the beginning I thought it was a joke, then my agent has told me that was really Rafa and I was going to go to Naples. When I read names like Higuain, Callejon, Albiol I had a bit of fear, I tremble legs. I remember Rafa told me: “If you follow my instructions you will become a great player.”
“At the beginning I thought it was a joke, then my agent has told me that was really Rafa and I was going to go to Napoli. When I read names like Higuain, Callejon, Albiol I had a bit of fear, I tremble legs. I remember Rafa told me: “If you follow my instructions you will become a great player.”
“When I saw players like Higuain, Callejon, Albiol for the first time, my legs trembled. I remember Rafa telling me that if I follow his instructions, I would become a great player.”
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Source: forzaitalianfootball.com