According to emerging reports, Chelsea are making frenzied moves to bolster their defensive ranks ahead of the summer window. That urgency has led them to Karim Coulibaly, the 18-year-old centre-back currently anchoring Werder Bremen’s backline in the Bundesliga.
It has been reported that the Blues have already spoken with the tall defender’s agents, but the two clubs have not yet had any formal talks. At only 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 metres) tall, the left-footed German youth international is one of the most sought-after teenage defenders in Europe after a breakout season at the Weserstadion.
Coulibaly has been one of the few bright sparks in Werder’s tough season, which have them deep in relegation trouble. The young defender has played in 22 Bundesliga games this season, scoring once and becoming Werder’s youngest goalscorer ever at 18 years, three months, and seven days old. Even though he missed the home loss to RB Leipzig because of a recent thigh problem, his value has gone up very quickly.
But Chelsea will have a very hard time getting the teenager. Other big clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain, and Napoli are all looking at the 18-year-old centre-back. The Blues are said to be the most interested and impressed by how quickly he has improved.
Meanwhile, it is worth noting that Coulibaly has a personal dream of one day playing for PSG, even though they already have a lot of centre-backs, like Willian Pacho, Marquinhos, Ilya Zabarnyi, and Lucas Beraldo.
Werder Bremen Set €50 Million Asking Price for Karim Coulibaly
Werder Bremen are getting ready for a big financial boost from their most valuable player. Coulibaly’s contract at the Weserstadion runs until 2029 and includes no release clause, and sporting director Clemens Fritz is said to want a fee of between €40 and €50 million.
If they sold him for that much, it would break Werder’s transfer record, which was set when Juventus paid €27 million for Diego in the 2009/10 season. The race for Coulibaly’s signature will only get hotter in the next few weeks, as the German outfit fight to stay in the league and a summer departure is “100 percent planned.”