Chelsea have confirmed the exit of defender Kalidou Koulibaly on a permanent deal this summer, joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. The centre-back is one of a number of stars set to leave Stamford Bridge for the Saudi Pro League, with N'Golo Kante already making the switch on a free transfer to Al-Ittihad.
Koulibaly was one of the first signings of the Boehly-Clearlake era just one year ago, making the move from Napoli to help bolster the defensive ranks. While the experienced defender was tasked with filling the gaps left by Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, he was unable to reach the heights.
The 32-year-old struggled to adjust to the Premier League, following many years in which he has been linked with a move to England. Midway through the campaign, Koulibaly went to the World Cup in Qatar, where he captained Senegal to a last-16 finish, where they were knocked out by England.
