Contact made: Klopp holds direct talks with Liverpool target as he eyes marquee signing

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has reportedly contacted Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly himself in a bid to try and make progress in securing an agreement.

The 28-year-old has established himself as one of the top defenders in Europe in recent years with his commanding performances for the Partenopei.

From his solidity on the ground, in the air, his physicality, pace and his reading of the game, he ticks many of the right boxes and also boasts great composure and technical quality in possession to help build out from the back.

It has seemingly attracted the attention of Liverpool, as the Metro reports, via Le10Sport, that Klopp has contacted Koulibaly himself to discuss a move to Anfield as he has tried to convince him over a move by laying out his plans.

Time will tell if it’s enough to persuade Koulibaly to make the switch to Merseyside, but partnering Virgil van Dijk in the heart of the Liverpool backline to form a formidable defensive duo to lead the Reds to more success in the coming years could certainly be an appealing proposition as they would be a daunting challenge for any attack.

Further, it’s suggested that while the Senegal international was flattered by Klopp’s call and that he’s open to a move to Liverpool, he could be available for around £65m having previously been valued at £90m due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

It remains to be seen if Liverpool are able to prise him away from Napoli, but if they do, a defence that has only conceded 21 goals in 29 Premier League games so far this season could get a lot stronger and it could be a nightmare for their rivals as trying to break through a defensive pairing of Van Dijk and Koulibaly with Alisson behind them could make Liverpool one of the toughest sides to beat in the coming years.

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