Riyadh: The Saudi Pro League outfit Al Hilal confirmed the signing of Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea on Sunday.
The club took to Twitter and posted a video to announce the arrival of their latest signing.
Koulibaly is leaving Chelsea after spending one season in the Premier League. The centre-back arrived from Serie A side Napoli last summer and featured 32 times for the Blues during his time at Stamford Bridge.
The 32-year-old made his debut away at Everton. He found his first goal in Chelsea colours in his first home game with an incredible volley against Tottenham Hotspur. His second Chelsea goal also came in a London derby, against Fulham.
The Senegalese international is the latest in a growing number of high-profile players to make the switch to the Saudi Pro League.
Koulibaly makes the switch to Al Hilal from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee, thought to be around 25m Riyal.
Chelsea released an official statement to announce the departure of their defender and thanked him for the contributions he made to the club.
“We would like to thank Kalidou for his contributions on and off the pitch during his time at Stamford Bridge and wish him well for the next stage of his career,” the club wrote in an official statement as quoted by Chelsea.com.
Saudi football transfers
Koulibaly is not the only Chelsea player who has left the club to play in Saudi League. Last week, former Chelsea midfielder N’ Golo Kante also left Chelsea to join Al-Ittihad.
The arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo in January sparked a new-found interest in football in the country. Players and spectators alike are looking on as more big names from the football world look to the Middle East.
In a statement the club wrote, “Ittihad Club has announced the signing of French international player N’Golo Kante, the former Chelsea player who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Champions League Kante has signed a three-year contract with the club.
“The contract was finalized on Tuesday, June 20th, after Kante completed his medical tests at a specialized medical centre in Dubai. This move comes as Ittihad, who recently won the Saudi Professional League, aims to strengthen their squad,” the statement read.
Kante’s addition to Al-Ittihad is considered one of the most high-profile and impactful signings in the club’s history. It is part of the club’s efforts to establish itself as a top choice for world-class players in the Saudi Professional League.
“The team is also preparing for a significant international tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup, which will take place at the end of this year,” the statement ended.
It is highly likely that Koulibaly and Kante won’t be the last Chelsea player to leave the club and join the Saudi League.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and winger Hakim Ziyech are highly linked for a move to the Saudi as well.
Koulibaly will link up with former Wolves star Ruben Neves at Al-Hilal. He will be keen to challenge Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr for the Saudi Pro League title next season.
(With inputs from agencies)
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