Kalidou Koulibaly transfer to Al Hilal hints at first team plans for £30m Chelsea defender

Kalidou Koulibaly to Al Hilal is a done deal (pending official confirmation) as Chelsea have begun offloading players that are not part of the project lead by Mauricio Pochettino. With Koulibaly’s departure, Levi Colwill is set to become an important part of the first team setup.

Koulibaly arrived at Chelsea last summer for £33 million and signed a deal until 2026 that would see him earn £8.2 million a season. Sadly, the move hasn’t worked out for Senegalese as he has failed to settle in London. He did make a comeback in the second half of the season with strong performances but succumbed to a hamstring injury.

CFC were not satisfied with the level of performance of Koulibaly and were open to selling him this summer in order to get hefty wages off the record books. PIF’s Saudi Arabian Pro League revolution saw Al Hilal take interest in Koulibaly. After negotiations, an agreement was reached and Chelsea would earn £17 million from Koulibaly’s sale.

Chelsea have an in-house replacement for Kalidou Koulibaly in Levi Colwill

With Koulibaly’s exit confirmed, CFC are now left with Colwill, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah as central defence options. Colwill has returned from his successful loan spell at Brighton, where he was a mainstay in Roberto De Zerbi’s backline. Colwill impressed De Zerbi heavily, so much so, that the Seagulls are trying to sign Colwill permanently.

CFC rejected a £30 million bid for Colwill as they are determined to keep him at Stamford Bridge. With Koulibaly gone, Colwill will be an important part of the squad. Chalobah’s future remains up in the air with an exit mooted as Inter Milan remain keen on the 23 year old. Considering Chalobah is sold or loaned out, the Blues will be left with Silva, Fofana, Badiashile and Colwill as centre back options.

Mauricio Pochettino is a big admirer of Colwill and will trust the Englishman as an in-house Koulibaly replacement. With Colwill being trusted as a centre back option, CFC will not have to venture in the market and hunt for a new centre back. The 20 year old may not be an immediate starter but will surely get minutes under Pochettino.

The Argentine manager is yet to take charge of Chelsea but once the pre-season starts, Pochettino will evaluate the players and form his pecking order. Perhaps, Koulibaly’s departure will also impart confidence in Colwill that he does have a realistic chance to play for CFC next season and will end up staying at Chelsea.

Will Levi Colwill become a starter for Chelsea next season?