According to Foot Mercato, Newcastle are interested in making a move for Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly this summer.

What’s the word?

The Magpies could be set for a massive summer of financial investment if their proposed takeover goes through. And naturally, the Tyneside club are already being linked with some big-money moves for a whole host of players – including Koulibaly.

French publication Foot Mercato claim that Newcastle have “officially entered into contact” with the Senegal international, and that Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is “now open to a departure” for the centre-back.

The report further adds that Koulibaly is likely to cost at least €80m (£70m), but that with him having an “attraction for England”, it is an opportunity the “Magpies would like to seize”.

Defensive rock

Make no mistake about it, Koulibaly’s arrival would take Newcastle’s defence up a couple of levels.

The 6 foot 2 powerhouse can shore up a back-line that has conceded 41 goals in just 29 Premier League games this season – only seven teams have let in more.

In Serie A this year, the 28-year-old has averaged a mightily impressive 2.6 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game – no Newcastle player has a better tackling average than him. And he has earned some rave reviews for his performances too.

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Current Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, who managed the defender in his time at Napoli, paid him the highest possible compliment when he said: “Koulibaly belongs in the category of Maldini, Thuram, Thiago Silva, and Sergio Ramos.”

For a manager like Ancelotti, who has seen it and done it all at club level, to say Koulibaly belongs in that bracket of high-calibre players, just goes to show what an incredible signing Newcastle would be making if they could pull it off.