Al Hilal Secures Kalidou Koulibaly’s Transfer From Chelsea

Senegal’s captain, Kalidou Koulibaly, has become the latest big player to make his way to Saudi Arabia, as he officially joined Al-Hilal from Chelsea, as confirmed by the Premier League club yesterday.

Koulibaly only joined Chelsea last year from Napoli, in a deal worth approximately £33 million, under Thomas Tuchel’s reign as Chelsea’s boss.

However, despite the high expectations, the 32-year-old defender faced difficulties in the Premier League as Chelsea finished 12th in the standings, marking their lowest league finish since 1994.

“Kalidou Koulibaly has left Chelsea after completing a permanent transfer to Saudi Professional League side Al-Hilal.

“The centre-back arrived from Napoli last summer and made 32 appearances for the Blues during his sole campaign at Stamford Bridge.

“The 32-year-old made his debut away at Everton and marked his first home game with a fantastic volley against Tottenham Hotspur. His other Chelsea goal also came in a London derby, away to Fulham.

“Midway through the campaign, Koulibaly captained Senegal to the last 16 of the World Cup in Qatar; the defender scored a crucial winning goal to help his country overcome Ecuador and reach the knockout stage,” Chelsea’s farewell message read in parts.

The club also thanked the former Napoli defender for his contributions to the club: “We would like to thank Kalidou for his contributions on and off the pitch during his time at Stamford Bridge and wish him well for the next stage of his career.”