Chelsea Transfer News: Kalidou Koulibaly Targeted for Summer, Latest Rumours

Chelsea will reportedly make another attempt to sign Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly next summer, but they will not make a £50 million move for the Senegal international in January as he will be at the Africa Cup of Nations. 

According to Daniel Cutts in the Sun, centre-back Koulibaly, who was pursued by Chelsea in the summer, will not be a new-year target again for the Blues, with a source saying only a huge offer could tempt Napoli to sell.

"It is impossible for Koulibaly to go to Chelsea in January because of the African Cup of Nations," the source was quoted as saying. "He is happy at Napoli, wants to stay there and likes it in Serie A. He won’t be sold until June. The Napoli supporters would go crazy if he was sold now. It would take a monster offer that just won't come."

Per Cutts, Napoli will demand €70 million-€80 million (£59.2 million-£67.6 million) for Koulibaly, 25, but Chelsea are expected to go in for him again at the end of the season as defensive stalwart John Terry is likely to leave the club.

Chelsea's defence has been impressive of late as the Blues have won seven Premier League games on the bounce—conceding just one goal—to move to the top of the table. They are currently one of the best teams in Europe:

However, manager Antonio Conte is still eager to add more depth to his back line, particularly as Terry is set to leave the club, with Chelsea having also been linked with Juventus' Leonardo Bonucci and AS Roma's Antonio Rudiger, per Sami Mokbel and Simon Jones in the Daily Mail.

Gary Cahill and David Luiz are arguably performing above themselves in Conte's 3-4-3 system, and the manager may want another defensive talisman to provide quality competition and cover.

Koulibaly has been heavily linked with the Blues for some time, and the west London club reportedly made three separate offers—the last of which was worth £42 million—for him last summer before admitting defeat, per the Sun's Duncan Wright.

It is little surprise that they are planning to return for him next year as he is defensively superb and excellent with the ball at his feet.

Per WhoScored.com, Koulibaly has been a consistent force in Serie A for some time:

The Italian club realise his value and are under no pressure to let him go as he is contracted to them until 2021.

Chelsea are prepared to test Napoli's resolve, though, and it seems a major offer can be expected from the Stamford Bridge outfit for Koulibaly come the end of the 2016-17 campaign.