{"id":12496,"date":"2025-11-03T07:08:24","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T07:08:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/03\/carlo-ancelotti-hints-at-quitting-over-88m-transfer-to-manchester-united-they-refused\/"},"modified":"2025-11-03T07:08:24","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T07:08:24","slug":"carlo-ancelotti-hints-at-quitting-over-88m-transfer-to-manchester-united-they-refused","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eplvip.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/03\/carlo-ancelotti-hints-at-quitting-over-88m-transfer-to-manchester-united-they-refused\/","title":{"rendered":"Carlo Ancelotti hints at quitting over \u00a388m transfer to Manchester United: ‘They refused’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Manchester United wanted to sign Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly under Jose Mourinho in 2018, but manager Carlo Ancelotti has ensured the \u00a388m deal will not materialise.<\/h2>\n
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\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/span>Carlo Ancelotti was Napoli manager in 2018<\/span>(Image: MAURO PIMENTEL\/AFP, Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n
Carlo Ancelotti has successfully persuaded Kalidou Koulibaly to stay at Napoli following a huge transfer offer from Manchester United. Koulibaly spoke about how the legendary Italian manager broke away with a blockbuster contract at Old Trafford in 2018.<\/p>\n
Seven years ago, Jose Mourinho was keen to sign United’s top-quality centre-back, along with Harry Maguire and Toby Alderweireld, and Koulibaly was a high-profile target. Coulibaly was in such good form at Napoli that United made him an offer, but the Senegalese international remembers the offer was \u20ac100m (currently \u00a388m).<\/p>\n
He was ready to jump into a Premier League team. The Premier League side had Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof selected as their first-choice combination in central defence. However, Napoli had no intention of letting him go. And it was Ancelotti’s intervention that changed everything.<\/p>\n
“Napoli had an offer worth 100 million euros from Manchester United, but they rejected it,” Koulibaly told the podcast “Zac en Lou Libre”, broadcast by Tutto Mercato.<\/p>\n
read more: Manchester United make major injury update for Lisandro Martinez after postponed return<\/span><\/span>read more: Barcelona hold advantage after Jim Ratcliffe thwarts shock move, Man United move hurt<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\u201cAncelotti came to me and said: “I came here to win the Scudetto. What do you want?” I said: “I wanted to quit, why?” He said he knew about the offer but if I had quit, he would have quit the next day.”<\/p>\n
Koulibaly joined Napoli from Genk in 2014 for around \u00a36.5 million and felt the time was right to make a move. However, his manager’s experience and persuasive powers eventually changed his mind.<\/p>\n
“I thought my time in Napoli was over,” he added. “I gave it my all. I spent four seasons there and I probably got the best contract of my career.<\/p>\n
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\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/span>Kalidou Koulibaly played for eight years at Napoli<\/span>(Image: SIPA USA\/PA Image)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cIn the evening, Ancelotti called me and said, “Come to my room.” He opened the door and said, “Ah, mo ami caridou!” He spoke French and we were both in our pajamas. I was shocked. I explained to him that I was not happy and that I thought the way the President was speaking showed a lack of respect for me. \u201d<\/p>\n
The deal was canceled and Koulibaly will remain at Napoli for a further four years before joining Chelsea in 2022. The centre-back only spent one season with the Blues before moving to Al Hilal in 2023, where he remains.<\/p>\n
United were unable to sign Koulibaly, but spent \u00a380m the following summer to sign Maguire from Leicester City. The England international remains at the club and joined for the 2019\/20 season alongside Bruno Fernandes, who took over as captain.<\/p>\n
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![\"Italian](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article35991211.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615\/0_GettyImages-2216590017.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>![\"Kalidou](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article27546274.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_Italy-SSC-Napoli-Genk.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>![\"content](\"https:\/\/i2-prod.mirror.co.uk\/article33404045.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s510b\/0_Sky-Factbox.jpg\")
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