Napoli slap £90m asking price on Manchester United target

Napoli have made it clear Manchester United will have to make Kalidou Koulibaly the most expensive defender of all-time to sign him in January, reports The Times.

United have been poor defensively this season and Jose Mourinho hopes the club will sign a new centre-back next month after failing to in the summer.

Koulibaly, who was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea 12 months ago, is reportedly Mourinho’s top defensive target ahead of the January transfer window.

The Senegal international is regarded as one of the best centre-backs in Europe and he won’t come cheap, especially if United try to pull off his signing midway through the season.

Liverpool made Virgil van Dijk the most expensive defender of all-time at the start of the year after paying Southampton £75m for the Netherlands international.

Koulibaly only signed a new long-term Napoli deal at the start of the season and Napoli will only consider his departure if United shatter that fee and pay in the region of £90m.

Since the start of last season, only three players have won possession in the defensive third more times than Koulibaly in Serie A (187).

Mourinho has lamented the fact his current defensive options are incapable of instigating attacks from the back and Koulibaly is certainly someone comfortable on the ball.

In the same time period, Koulibaly has completed the most passes in Serie A (3696) and his only statistically calculated WhoScored strength is 'passing'.