Chelsea midfielder Jorginho hailed new signing Kalidou Koulibaly as a "real leader" as he expressed his delight at being reunited with his former Napoli team-mate at Stamford Bridge.

The Premier League club signed Koulibaly from the Partenopei last week for a reported fee of £33.8million (€40m), with the Senegal captain penning a four-year contract.

Koulibaly made 236 Serie A appearances during a distinguished eight-year spell with Napoli, helping them to three second-placed finishes and one Coppa Italia triumph. 

Jorginho starred alongside Koulibaly during the defender's first four seasons in Italy, and the pair are now set to link-up in England.

The Italy international has revealed he discussed such a reunion with Koulibaly on several occasions after making his own move to west London in 2018, as he lauded the defender for his leadership abilities.

"We spoke a lot about it," Jorginho told the club's website. "Even before I came here Chelsea were interested in him, and finally now it's happening so it's really good.

"I am so, so happy he's here. As a player, he's a brilliant defender – fast, strong and he has so much quality on the ball with both feet. He's also a real leader.

"We've stayed in contact since I left Napoli.

"He speaks better English already than I do so that will be good for him to help settle in. It's going to be really easy for him because of the person he is. 

"Of course, we will help him to make it maybe a bit easier for him to get involved with team-mates and everything, but even if he didn't know us it would be easy for him because he's such a good guy."

Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti has poured cold water on the prospect of Paulo Dybala's arrival amid reports the Argentina international is set to join Serie A rivals Roma.

The Partenopei will have sizeable voids to make up for, with Kalidou Koulibaly, Dries Mertens, Faouzi Ghoulam and David Ospina all following Lorenzo Insigne to the exit since the end of last season.

Napoli and Roma emerged as Dybala's likeliest destinations after talks with Inter broke down, with fans even voicing their displeasure towards Spalletti at the lack of transfer activity during an address as preparations for the new season continued over the weekend.

Speaking after his side's 4-1 friendly win against Perugia on Sunday, the 63-year-old said he believes Dybala's wage demands make him an unrealistic target, though the club will be looking to move as the dust settles elsewhere in the market.

"I read that there are several teams in for him, [but] he wants a high contract," Spalletti said. "And probably his demands are [too] high for the moment for a club who has to think about it.

"Certainly we are thinking of some integration of the squad, but the market tells us that many moves will be made at the last moment given the long period in which negotiations take place.

"It is clear that the fans want to see quality. We have only one means at our disposal, that of showing personality and technique when we enter the field."

Koulibaly, who signed for Chelsea on Saturday, might not be the last player to leave Naples before the start of the season, with Victor Osimhen and Matteo Politano also linked to moves elsewhere.

Spalletti tried to remove polemics from their respective situations, insisting they will flourish at Napoli if they stay.

"Victor has to find the best condition, but we know what his great potential is and we will work to bring out his qualities," he said.

"If Politano remains and gives us his important contribution like last year, we are all happy."

Chelsea have completed the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for a reported fee of £33.8million (€40m).

The Senegal international centre-back had just one year remaining on his Napoli deal, and has now signed a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Koulibaly has been continuously linked with a move away from Naples in recent years, having impressed since moving to Serie A from Belgian side Genk in 2014.

Defensive pair Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have both left Chelsea for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively since the end of last season.

And the Blues have now moved to find replacements by adding Koulibaly, having previously been linked with deals for Nathan Ake, Jules Kounde and Matthijs de Ligt.

In the club's statement, Koulibaly called it a dream come true to be headed to the Premier League.

"I’m very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea," he said. "It’s a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League.

"Chelsea came first to get me in 2016 but we didn’t make it. Now when they came to me I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play for them. When I spoke to my good friends Edou [Mendy] and Jorginho they made my choice easier, so I’m really happy to be with you today."

Koulibaly helped Napoli to three second-place finishes in Serie A and to Coppa Italia success in 2020, as well as winning the Supercoppa Italiana shortly after he arrived in Italy.

He made 27 appearances for Luciano Spalletti's side in 2021-22, as they finished third in the table.

Since arriving at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, no defender in the Italian top flight has won more tackles than Koulibaly (344), or made more successful passes (14,528).

Kalidou Koulibaly has said goodbye to Napoli as he nears a move to Chelsea, saying: "you have been everything for me".

The centre-back joined Napoli in 2014 from Genk and spent eight years with the Italian club, winning the Supercoppa Italiana in 2014 as well as the Coppa Italia in 2020.

But he is now set to join Chelsea in a deal reported to be worth £34million.

He will look to help Chelsea close the gap to Liverpool and Manchester City, after the Londoners finished 18 points off second place and 19 adrift of top spot in the 2021-22 campaign.

The Senegal defender posted an Instagram post on Friday, where he bid farewell to the Napoli fans.

The caption read: "Victories, defeats, joys, disappointments. Too many emotions lived together: impossible to summarise them. But I keep everything: in my mind, in my heart.

"My two children were born in Naples. I have met people who will always be part of my life and who made me and my family feel at home: from the first to the last moment. Thanks to you, Naples, I became the man I am today.

"Thanks to the club, the president, the coaches, all my team-mates and all the people I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. Thank you, Naples and Neapolitans, for all the love we have given each other.

"Now I feel I have to leave and get back into the game: it's time for a new adventure. Go Napoli forever."

Thomas Tuchel has achieved his "top priority" for the transfer window by signing Raheem Sterling, while the Chelsea head coach cannot foresee Robert Lewandowski arriving.

Sterling joined Manchester City for a reported fee in the region of £45million on Wednesday, as Chelsea confirmed their first signing since Todd Boehly's consortium acquired the Blues.

The England international, who signed a five-year deal with Chelsea, scored 17 goals in all competitions for City last season, a tally bettered by only Riyad Mahrez (24) and Kevin De Bruyne (19).

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo has also been linked to Stamford Bridge, alongside Barcelona's top target Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich.

Lewandowski scored 50 goals in all competitions last term, the most of any player across Europe's top five leagues, and Tuchel appreciates his quality but does not envisage bringing him in.

"I don't think we have a chance for Lewandowski but if there is a chance, he is one of the best number nines," said Tuchel.

"The priority is not on the number nine position right now. We have our top priority [Sterling], we have got our top priority signed. It makes me very, very happy and from there we are very flexible.

"He was the absolute number one for that position. I gave his name to Todd straight away. Every time we played against him, he's horrible to play against, horrible!

"The main point is his intensity and the amount of repetition of intensity that he delivers. This is simply outstanding over the last years.

"It's exactly what we need to raise the level of our players. That's why we are so sure and that's why he was, for us, top of the list.

"Our goal threat should be enough right now. If we think something crazy comes up that we don’t see, maybe we will get involved, maybe not."

The versatile Sterling is expected to bring experience to the Chelsea attack, a feature lacking at the back for the Blues after the departure of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.

Cesar Azpilicueta is reportedly wanted by Barca as well, while Chelsea appear set to bring in Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly to somewhat fill the void in defence.

The minimum requirement for success under Boehly will be a top-four Premier League finish to qualify for the Champions League, and Tuchel acknowledged he must rebuild to develop a competitive squad.

"I think with Thiago [Silva] in the middle, Toni on the left and Azpi [Cesar Azpilicueta] or Andreas [on the right] we had the best back-three in the world," he added.

"It's possible [to rebuild at short notice]. We can, we have to. I think we can put a structure in place and we have a structure on which we can rely on.

"For example, if we play against Everton, Thiago can play, Trevoh Chalobah can hopefully play, and Azpi is at the moment here. 

"If there are guys still to be signed or not fully aware of the principles, I don't want to use it as an excuse. When I came in, I had one day to start with the back-three because it was a fit and I still think it will be a fit.

"The first 10 days or 11 days with the group have been outstanding. The mentality, worth ethic and quality in training is absolutely impressive and this makes me very happy.

"I want to be ready when we play Everton. I want to win and I will demand it from myself, my team and all my players.

"The team will be strong. I am not ready to use it as an excuse even though it is maybe true that we are in transition. We can, I can focus, I think the team can focus on what makes us strong and we can take it step by step and work out how to win games."

While Chelsea made their long-awaited first signing in Sterling, top-four rivals Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City have all been busy in the transfer window.

Tuchel was quick to hail the transfer dealings of Antonio Conte, who looks set to seal his sixth signing of the transfer window in Djed Spence, and conceded Chelsea will have to catch up with their competitors.

"I mean it when I said we fight against the best teams and the best coaches, which does not make life easier and they set the bar so high last season, but we start again from scratch," said Tuchel. 

"So we will try again. I can promise you that everybody is ready to try again. We will not give in before we play games. That's why the sanctions did not help. We lost important players and the other teams are recruiting, and did not have the losses that we had.

"If you look at the transfer period of Tottenham with Antonio Conte, it's maybe the strongest team they ever built. Manchester United will not give in, Arsenal will not give in, they've made two big signings already, so we are aware of the situation and try to do our best to be competitive."

Cristiano Ronaldo's future at Manchester United remains unclear after stepping away from their pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia.

The 37-year-old Portuguese has reportedly told United he wants to leave this off-season, although new boss Erik ten Hag said the Portuguese is in their plans for the upcoming campaign.

Ronaldo is one season into a two-year deal at Old Trafford, having re-joined United in August last year.

TOP STORY – RONALDO OFFERED TO PSG IN MESSI LINK-UP

Le Parisien claims that Manchester United's Ronaldo has been offered to French champions Paris Saint-Germain by his agent Jorge Mendes.

PSG, however, were not interested in the 37-year-old as they felt he was not the right fit and would put strain on their bulging wage bill, headlined by Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Mendes has also held talks with Bayern Munich and Chelsea as he seeks a move away from Old Trafford for Ronaldo.

ROUND-UP

–  Chelsea are homing in on a €40 million (£34m) deal for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly with the two parties in talks on a five-year deal, claims Sky Sport Italia. The Blues are looking for defensive reinforcements after Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger's departures.

–  Manchester United are closing in on a deal for Ajax's Lisandro Martinez with negotiations entering key stages reports Fabrizio Romano. The two clubs will meet on Wednesday, with Ajax having turned down United's previous approach, but the Argentinian is keen to move to the Premier League.

– The Telegraph claims that Newcastle United have held discussions with Real Sociedad about a deal for Swedish striker Alexander Isak with the fee believed to be a club record.

– Barcelona have agreed to a five-year deal with Raphinha, with the move from Leeds United worth €67m (£55m) according to Fabrizio Romano.

– Marca reports that Real Madrid will beat Barcelona to the signature of 17-year-old Algeciras winger Alvaro Leiva.

Luciano Spalletti said Napoli "will never stop thanking" Kalidou Koulibaly should he depart for Chelsea, as reports suggested the Senegal captain was edging closer to a move.

Koulibaly has made 236 Serie A appearances since joining Napoli from Belgian outfit Genk in 2014, including 27 as the Partenopei finished third last season.

Napoli vice president Edoardo De Laurentiis admitted he was unsure why Koulibaly was yet to extend his contract with the club last week, and reports on Tuesday suggested he could be set for a move to the Premier League.

Chelsea are reportedly locked in negotiations to seal a €40million (£33.7m) move for the 31-year-old, who has just one year remaining on his deal in Naples, and Spalletti says he will harbour no ill-will towards the defensive colossus if he departs.

"I always remain of the same opinion. I always prefer Koulibaly to everyone," Spalletti said, during a question-and-answer session with fans. 

"It is easy for me because he, as a Napoli player, is the one who has the highest average points. When he was on the pitch, we scored more points. 

"Should he choose to go, we will never stop thanking him for everything he taught us and for everything he gave us to make us play in the Champions League this year. 

"He is very good, very strong. This year he would also be captain [if he chose to stay].

"If he will choose different things, we will wish him the best because he deserves it all, and woe to anyone who will tell him something if he has to make different choices."

Koulibaly's departure would be a significant blow for Napoli, who have already lost Lorenzo Insigne on a free transfer during the off-season, with the Italy star heading to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC.

And Spalletti says Napoli are assessing all options as they look to improve their squad: "We are making evaluations. We have lost [Dries] Mertens [who is yet to agree a contract renewal], Insigne and [David] Ospina. 

"For the others there are possibilities, so we don't know. These players are important references, but we have very strong young people who can become leaders of this team."

One player to have been strongly linked with Napoli is former Juventus forward Paulo Dybala, who remains a free agent after departing the Turin giants at the end of his contract last month.

"Who knows? The ways of the lord are infinite," De Laurentiis quipped when asked whether Napoli could target the Argentine on Sunday, and Spalletti says he admires the 28-year-old.

"Many like Dybala because he has the qualities to give solutions to a team," he added. "He is a player who has imagination, inspiration, a great foot, takes set pieces very well, scores goals. 

"We would try to make him grow a little bit. He's perfect in the way of being a strong team player."

Finding players of a similar profile to Robert Lewandowski is a difficult enough task, let alone trying to actually replace him.

That is the dilemma Bayern Munich find themselves in with the wantaway striker, however.

But the reigning Bundesliga champions might have identified the player who is closest in skill-set to Lewandowski, should he get his wish and leave for pastures new.

TOP STORY – KANE BAYERN'S TOP TARGET

Bayern have identified Harry Kane as the successor to Lewandowski, according to Kicker.

Kane's contract with Tottenham expires in 2024 and the 28-year-old would command a significant transfer fee, but one that would be reportedly attainable for Bayern in the event Lewandowski leaves.

According to the report, Lewandowski hopes Bayern will accept Barcelona's offer for him by Tuesday.

He is set to return for the commencement of pre-season training this week, but the German club seem to be preparing for the 33-year-old's departure. They have already brought in Sadio Mane from Liverpool.

ROUND-UP

– Barcelona believe they will be able to sign Bernardo Silva from Manchester City, Mundo Deportivo claim.

– Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is reluctant to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Stamford Bridge this off-season, the Daily Mail reports.

– Juventus are looking to use the funds from Matthijs de Ligt's sale to pay for Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, per Tuttosport

– Arsenal are in talks to sign Benfica left-back Alex Grimaldo after submitting an initial bid, The Express reports.

– Wayne Rooney is set to return to D.C. United to take over as the team's head coach, according to The Athletic.

Napoli vice president Edoardo De Laurentiis remains hopeful of tying Kalidou Koulibaly and Dries Mertens down to new contracts, although he is uncertain why the former is yet to commit his future to the Partenopei.

Meanwhile, De Laurentiis has refused to rule out a move for free agent Paulo Dybala after the talented Argentinian left Juventus.

Napoli enjoyed a promising first season under Luciano Spalletti last term, finishing third in Serie A after threatening to win a first Scudetto since Diego Maradona starred in their 1989-90 triumph.

Both Koulibaly and Mertens played key roles for Spalletti's men, with the Senegal captain helping Napoli concede the joint-fewest goals (31) and keep the second-most clean sheets (16) in Serie A.

Mertens, meanwhile, scored 11 league goals last term, a figure only bettered by Victor Osimhen (14) among Napoli players.

But having already lost Lorenzo Insigne to Major League Soccer team Toronto FC in the off-season, Napoli are yet to agree fresh contract terms with either of their star duo.

Koulibaly has just one year remaining on his deal, and De Laurentiis is keen to see him extend his eight-year stay with the club.

"We offered him €6million net per season for the next 5 years, I don't know what to tell you better than this," he said.

"Why hasn't he accepted yet? I can't get into every single player's head.

"What we have offered him is not cheap, especially after the pandemic. Koulibaly is a great man and over the years he has proven to be a great person, for us to confirm him is the most important thing in the world."

De Laurentiis is more hopeful of reaching an agreement with the club's record scorer Mertens, who has been out of contract since the end of last month.  

"We also offered him a very important figure," De Laurentiis said, referring to the Belgium international.

"We offered him €2.5m net and for me he will accept, Naples is a city that has given him a lot and can still give him a lot. In life we must always be positive."

Meanwhile, the loss of Insigne has led to speculation Napoli could rival other Serie A clubs for Dybala's signature, and De Laurentiis has refused to rule out making an offer to the 28-year-old, despite sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli claiming the attacker was "out of reach" on Saturday.

Asked about Dybala, De Laurentiis quipped: "Who knows? The ways of the lord are infinite."

Napoli begin their 2022-23 Serie A campaign with a trip to Hellas Verona on August 15.

Manchester United have reportedly tabled a €60million bid for Ajax winger Antony.

Antony's agent has been trying to secure a move to United and the Premier League since the Eredivisie season ended, according to Goal.

The Brazilian is coming off a season where he tallied eight goals and four assists in 23 league games, as well as another two goals and four assists in seven Champions League fixtures, showing he has what it takes at the highest level.

TOP STORY – RED DEVILS MAKE BIG-MONEY MOVE FOR AJAX'S ANTONY

Goal's report says the back-to-back Eredivisie champions are determined to hold onto Antony for another season, and with three years still remaining on his contract, Ajax are in control of the negotiations.

United's offer has fallen well below Ajax's acceptable figure, which is said to be €80m, although the discussions are ongoing.

The Old Trafford club are also linked with Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, according to The Sun, as well as Napoli striker and hot commodity Victor Osimhen, who ESPN claims is fetching a price north of €100m.

ROUND-UP

– Portuguese publication A Bola claims Chelsea are preparing a £38m for Sporting midfielder Matheus Nunes.

– According to The Mirror, Everton have no plans to sell Dominic Calvert-Lewin after cashing in on Richarlison.

– Arsenal are looking to sell seven players, including Nicolas Pepe and Bernd Leno, to fund further moves in this transfer window, per The Sun.

– According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sevilla and Napoli are all competing for Nice's 22-year-old French centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo.

– Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Brentford have secured a €22m deal for Bologna's 20-year-old Scottish left-back Aaron Hickey.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Manchester United and is willing to make some allowances to secure the move.

Reports of Ronaldo's transfer request emerged over the weekend, although United are said to be holding firm in their desire to keep the superstar.

That has not stopped the rumours around a potential destination for the Portugal great, though, and he is doing all he can to get the move he wants.

TOP STORY – RONALDO WILLING TO TAKE PAY CUT

The Independent reports Ronaldo is willing to take a "considerable" pay cut in order to move to a Champions League contender.

The forward's desire to win another European crown was widely cited as key to his decision to push for a departure from United, and the report suggests the player is hopeful a reduced salary could entice leading clubs.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, who employ great rival Lionel Messi, are listed as potential suitors.

The Athletic also again reports Chelsea's interest following talk of a meeting between Ronaldo's agent Jorge Mendes and new Stamford Bridge owner Todd Boehly earlier in the close-season.

The Sun says Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel is reluctant to agree to such a transfer, though, while AS claims Mendes has also met with Barcelona president Joan Laporta.

ROUND-UP

– Corriere dello Sport claims Bayern Munich are looking to bring in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen for a fee in the vicinity of €100million if Robert Lewandowski is to leave.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have agreed to sign 27-year-old Barcelona centre-back Clement Lenglet for a fee of £17.2m.

– The Sun is reporting Arsenal have made a £47m bid for 27-year-old Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

– After loaning Romelu Lukaku to Inter, Chelsea are also weighing up a potential loan move for Hakim Ziyech to Milan, according to The Athletic.

– The Mirror claims United representatives have met with Ajax to discuss a £39.6m offer for defender Lisandro Martinez.

Cristiano Ronaldo is poised to become the biggest news of the transfer window, with reports stating he is keen on leaving Manchester United to continue playing in the Champions League.

The Portuguese superstar has played in Europe's elite competition for 19 consecutive seasons since first moving to United from Sporting CP in 2003 and stands as the highest-ever scorer in the tournament with 140 goals.

However, United's sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last season means that Erik ten Hag takes over a side who are set for Europa League football – and it is now reported that Ronaldo is pushing for an exit.

If he does get his wish, there are only a few likely destinations for the 37-year-old and Stats Perform has assessed some of them.

Napoli

A return to Serie A has been touted for Ronaldo, with The Athletic naming Napoli as potential suitors – they have a void in their team following the exit of Lorenzo Insigne.

In Ronaldo's three years in Italy with Juventus, no player scored more Serie A goals than his tally of 81 and, despite spending the past year with Manchester United, only Ciro Immobile has scored more Serie A goals since 2018.

Napoli, having finished third in Serie A last year and nine points ahead of Juventus, would match Ronaldo's desire to play Champions League football – although the club's finances and Ronaldo's wage demands may prove to be restrictive.

Chelsea

Fresh from Todd Boehly's takeover, Chelsea are looking to rejuvenate the squad and finances do not appear to be a problem, given they have allowed Romelu Lukaku to return to Inter on loan just a year after spending a club-record £97.5million on the Belgium forward.

Interestingly enough, it has been reported that Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, has already met with the new Chelsea owner this summer and the Blues are in need of a striker having lost Lukaku, with Timo Werner performing better from a deeper role.

Whether Ronaldo would accept a move to a Premier League rival, given his status at Old Trafford, is the biggest question regarding any hopes the Blues may have in signing the veteran forward and, if he is keen, United would likely demand a significant return on the investment they paid last year.

Chelsea also have interest in Raheem Sterling and Leeds United attacker Raphinha, but Ronaldo would be a statement of intent for the new owner.

Sporting CP

With a United homecoming already under his belt, could Sporting secure a sensational return of their own and bring Ronaldo back to where it all began? It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility.

Second in Primeira Liga last season, Sporting have the Champions League football that Ronaldo craves and he is already a great at the club – though his success has come in his years since he left his home country in 2003.

Ronaldo had just a single season in the senior squad with Sporting before he moved to United, so he may feel he has unfinished business – and it is a side that can definitely compete, having ended a 20-year barren spell without a league title in the 2020-21 season.

Bayern Munich

Ronaldo has shone in three of Europe's top-five leagues, the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, with only the Bundesliga and Ligue 1 left standing – and Bayern have been touted as potential suitors, though Paris Saint-Germain are not said to be interest (sorry, no link up with Lionel Messi just yet, sports fans).

With Robert Lewandowski's future at the Allianz Arena continuing to be shrouded in speculation, it may fall into place for the Poland international to get what he wants, a move to Barcelona, and for Bayern to land Ronaldo as his replacement.

In the past five years, no player has scored more league goals than Lewandowski (193) but Ronaldo, along with the addition of Sadio Mane, should be able to fill any goalscoring void that would be left in the event of a departure.

Real Madrid

Another possible return destination... could Ronaldo wind back up in the Spanish capital?

The Champions League winners are hardly in need of another superstar forward, given the incredible form of Karim Benzema, but bringing Ronaldo back to the club where he scored 450 goals would surely appeal to president Florentino Perez? 

Madrid missed out on Kylian Mbappe, much to their frustration, and having Ronaldo in their side would plug a gap, so to speak, until the PSG forward is further into the new, three-year contract he signed with the French club in May.

MLS

Champions League football has been documented as the reason for Ronaldo's desire to leave but, if such offers are not forthcoming, could a move to MLS be on the cards? 

Financial rules and designated player spots would make a switch complicated, with there only being a handful of teams likely to be able to make a move possible – likely to be those in Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

With the 2026 World Cup taking place in North America, bringing Ronaldo to MLS would raise the profile of the league further – and would undoubtedly be the biggest acquisition for the league since David Beckham's move to LA Galaxy in 2007.

That move marked the start of a new era of soccer in the US and has evolved considerably since, though Ronaldo's arrival would send things to a completely new level.

It has been reported that United do not wish to sell Ronaldo, but with his contract being up next year, could a switch to North America be likely? 

Chelsea have reportedly made Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly their top centre-back target as they look to rebuild their defence.

Koulibaly would help fill the gaping hole left by the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, who both opted to head to LaLiga on free transfers as the precarious situation with Roman Abramovich's ownership made it impossible to negotiate contract extensions.

The Stamford Bridge side are said to have had interest in Juventus' Matthijs de Ligt and Inter's Milan Skriniar, but with Juventus demanding £102million and Inter holding firm for at least £55m, the 31-year-old Napoli star is now viewed as the best option.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA PREPARE MOVE TO BRING KOULIBALY TO STAMFORD BRIDGE

Koulibaly is coming off a season where he helped Napoli concede the equal-fewest goals in Serie A – giving up 31 goals in their 38 league games – while he also contributed three goals and three assists in 27 outings.

He has played no fewer than 34 games in any of his eight campaigns with Napoli, but he did miss a month of action this past season with a thigh strain – his third consecutive season where he has missed time with muscle strains in his legs.

The Mirror's report highlights that Chelsea are also in advanced discussions to land Manchester City's Raheem Sterling and Leeds United's Raphinha, with the plan to sell Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic to fund the moves.

ROUND-UP

– According to BILD, Borussia Dortmund would need to receive a bid of £103m to consider parting ways with Jude Bellingham in the current transfer window.

– 90min is reporting that Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal are all interested in Torino's 25-year-old Brazilian centre-back Gleison Bremer, with the Serie A club setting his price at £43m.

– Fabrizio Romano reports that Crystal Palace have agreed to an £18m fee for Lens midfielder Cheick Doucoure.

– According to Todofichajes, West Ham are willing to meet the £34m release clause for Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma.

– The Sun is reporting that Arsenal have made a third bid for Ajax's Lisandro Martinez – believed to be valued at £43m – while Talksport claims Manchester United are also trying to reunite the defender with Erik ten Hag.

Lorenzo Insigne says his move to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC came about due to his need for a new challenge after spending his entire career with Napoli.

The Italy international agreed to join Toronto in January, going on to finish the 2021-22 Serie A season with 11 goals in 32 appearances for Luciano Spalletti's Napoli before heading to Canada.

Insigne scored 122 goals in 434 appearances for his hometown club, a tally which is only bettered by Dries Mertens (148) and represents seven goals more than the late, great Diego Maradona netted for the Partenopei (115).

Speaking at his first news conference in Toronto, Insigne refuted the suggestion that MLS represented a step down for a player of his quality.

Asked whether he had been presented with other options, Insigne said: "I didn't receive any [other] offers at that time. It was very early when I first met the president, and I still had my contract with Napoli. I could have stayed in Europe. 

"I'm 31, so I still have many years in front of me, but I wanted to choose happiness and the wellbeing of my family. 

"As I mentioned before, I won a lot with Napoli, and I lost as well. But I wanted a change and more importantly, a challenge, either in another European club or here in North America. 

"I've heard people saying that soccer in North America is not real soccer, but I've seen it and it's not true. 

"It is a challenge because of the move, but I'm really grateful to the opportunity the president gave me and the whole organisation has given me, and the love and the effort that everybody is putting into this. I'm very thankful, and I want to repay the love with my performances during the season."

Insigne joins a team that sits 11th in the Eastern Conference, but he is already targeting silverware.

"I am very happy to be here. This is a big and new adventure for me and my family, this is the first time we have been away from Napoli," he said.

"But it was a great choice, because when I first met the president, he talked to me about Toronto as a city and especially about the team. 

"He struck me as a really great person, and the project that he explained to me about the team stuck with me.

"I made the decision, not for the money, but for a new life for my family and my kids, and for their wellbeing. The project is certainly a challenge, and I would like to be part of winning the championship.

"I played for Napoli for 10 years and for the Italian national team, winning the Euros. So, I don't have any problem with being under pressure, and I'd rather have my actions speak for me on the pitch."

Napoli forward Victor Osimhen has described the facial injury he suffered last season against Inter as "like a near-death injury".

The Nigeria international was hurt in a clash of heads with Nerazzurri defender Milan Skriniar during Inter's 3-2 win against Napoli at San Siro in November.

Osimhen, who has been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United in recent weeks, needed surgery on his face and did not return to action until mid-January.

Despite that lay-off, the 23-year-old scored 18 times in 32 appearances for Luciano Spalletti's side in all competitions last season.

His 14 league goals also meant Osimhen became the first Nigerian to achieve double figures in two straight Serie A terms, while he became just the fourth African player to achieve the feat in the Italian top flight after George Weah for Milan, Samuel Eto'o for Inter and Mohamed Salah for Roma.

Speaking to Wazobia FM, Osimhen detailed his injury against Inter and the mentality he needed to come back.

"As I got to the hospital, I told my doctor that I would be out for two weeks maximum," he said.

"When the scan came out, I fractured many bones, which they had to remove and fix inside again. I have like 18 screws under my jaw. I went through a lot.

"I could not sleep, I could not eat with the pain. But at the end of the day, I am a lion, and I know the kind of mentality I have.

"In my mind, I had already scheduled my return following the surgery."

Osimhen returned for the 2-0 win at Bologna in which Hirving Lozano scored both goals, with Napoli ultimately ending the season in third place in Serie A.