Kalidou Koulibaly leaves no room for remorse

“As soon as Chelsea called, I didn’t hesitate.”

Eight long seasons in the shadow of Vesuvius, all experienced as a star player, cannot be forgotten in a hurry. Yet, to hear Kalidou Koulibaly’s first words as a Chelsea player, it seems that the past has already been somewhat put aside. Speaking to the London club’s official channels from the Blues’ training camp in Los Angeles, the Senegalese defender dwelt on some background that well explains his firm desire to move to London. Seasoned with that healthy enthusiasm for an experience that is certainly fascinating.

“I am very happy and excited to be here. I was in London a few days ago to get everything settled and now I’m here. I’m excited to play for this club. Finally now I am a Chelsea player, I just want to thank everyone for making it possible-I already feel at home,” the defender began.

“I wanted to pass the medicals and come on the pre-season tour to America as soon as possible, but these things take some time. There was a lot of paperwork and paperwork to sort out, so I walked around the hotel a lot by myself to kill time while I waited for the news to come in that everything was finalized. I talked a lot with the coach and my family and I’m really happy because I made an important decision to come to Chelsea. I wanted to prove myself in the biggest league in the world and I want to thank everyone for giving me this chance.”

Inevitable, however, is the reference to the Neapolitan experience, on which the African does not dwell too much: “I lived eight wonderful years in Naples, everyone knew me and we were really happy to live there. After eight seasons I felt it was time for a new challenge and as soon as Chelsea called I did not hesitate. Even in 2016 there was a chance to sign but the transfer never materialized. Now I am happy to be here,” Koulibaly concluded.