Koulibaly completes move to Chelsea from Napoli for reported €40M

Chelsea completed another major transfer Saturday, signing defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli to a long-term contract, the Premier League club announced.

The transfer cost the free-spending Blues €40 million, according to The Guardian's Fabrizio Romano.

The 31-year-old finalized his move to Stamford Bridge after agreeing to a four-year contract, reportedly worth €10 million per season.

"I'm very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea," Koulibaly said.

"It's a big team in the world, and my dream was always to play in the Premier League. Chelsea came first to get me in 2016, but we didn't make it. Now when they came to me, I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play for them.

"When I spoke to my good friends Edou (Edouard Mendy) and Jorginho, they made my choice easier, so I'm really happy to be with you today."

The Senegalese international is expected to help fill the void left by Antonio Rudiger, who starred in the heart of Thomas Tuchel's defense last season before departing to join Real Madrid on a free transfer earlier this summer, and Andreas Christensen.

Koulibaly joined Napoli in 2014 and has been a staple in their defense, partially due to his durability. He's made at least 25 league appearances in each of his eight Serie A seasons, including 27 last term.

The 31-year-old's arrival could be just the beginning for a Chelsea side that remains in the hunt for further defensive reinforcements. Sevilla's Jules Kounde and Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe have also been linked to the Blues, while Chelsea's attempt to reunite with Manchester City defender Nathan Ake appears to be over, The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg reports.

Chelsea kicked off what's expected to be a busy summer with the blockbuster transfer of Raheem Sterling, who joined the Blues from Manchester City for a fee reportedly worth £50 million.