Chelsea great Robert Di Matteo has endorsed the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly and believes that Thomas Tuchel has signed a 'top player' with his best years ahead. The 31-year-old defender was heavily linked with an exit from Napoli this summer as he entered the final months of a contract with the Italian giants, attracting the interest of both the Blues and Barcelona.
The west Londoners proved successful in their mission to land the Senegal international, with Koulibaly penning a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge. He made his unofficial debut for Chelsea in a 17-minute cameo appearance off the bench in the club's penultimate pre-season clash, which saw Arsenal wheel away 4-0 victors.
Despite the scoreline, Di Matteo was left impressed by Koulibaly and insisted that he and fellow new signing Raheem Sterling will be pivotal to Tuchel's success this season. Speaking to the Chelsea website, the former Blues midfielder said: "Koulibaly and Sterling and two brilliant signings.
