LIVERPOOL have reportedly made contact with Napoli over a transfer for Manchester United target Kalidou Koulibaly.
The Reds are poised to hijack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s long standing plans to partner the Senegal ace alongside Harry Maguire at centre-half.
According to TuttoMercatoweb, the Merseysiders have made their first contact with Napoli regarding the defender.
Were he to join Liverpool, it would see him partner Virgil van Dijk in one of the most formidable centre-back pairings ever seen.
The ace was on the market for around £100million before the coronavirus crisis.
But the report claims that the centre-back’s price tag will have dropped following the devastating impacts of the killer bug, meaning Napoli may be forced to cash in.
The report also says a swoop for the Senegal star could mean the exit door for Joel Matip, the current first-choice centre-half partner for Van Dijk.
Reds fans will most likely be purring at the prospect of a Koulibaly and Van Dijk partnership following the 28-year-old’s scintillating form in Serie A.
The former Genk ace has evolved into one of the best defenders in the world since his 2014 move to the San Paolo from Belgium – making 233 appearances for the Neapolitans.
He is believed to have told the Italian club’s president Aurelio De Laurentiis that he wants to leave in the summer.
Liverpool plotting a swoop will come as a massive blow to United who have persistently been linked with the 28-year-old in recent seasons without success.
The club has reportedly been in constant contact with the Italian side to secure the defender’s signature by summer.
Solskjaer is itching to land another centre-back, despite having splashed out £85million on Maguire from Leicester City last summer.
Phil Jones is expected to leave Old Trafford in the summer, while Chris Smalling could make his loan spell at Roma permanent.
French giants PSG are also keen to sign Koulibaly – but he now appears to have snubbed a potential switch to Parc Des Princes.
The Red Devils received a huge boost when the Napoli star, revealed he is “more convinced” by a move to England according to reports.
But they also face competition with their neighbours Manchester City who have been keeping tabs on the defender, given the potential exits of Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones.
