Man Utd’s centre-back options narrow after Ancelotti statement

Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is not for sale this summer, according to boss Carlo Ancelotti.

The commanding centre-back was a target for Jose Mourinho last summer and he remains a defender Manchester United are believed to be keen on.

Only this week the Manchester Evening News reported that United were ready to make a £75million bid for the Senegal international.

But it now appears that he will be staying in Italy, at least for next season.

As per the Daily Mail, Ancelotti said: “Napoli will not be forced to sell. Koulibaly will not leave here.”

It has been suggested that Koulibaly could command a fee of as much as £95m this summer, with Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis a notoriously tough negotiator.

Newly-appointed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has admitted he will add to his squad this summer and club chiefs have apparently accepted it may take breaking the world transfer record of £75million for a defender in order to add a centre-back this summer.

Our exclusive report on Sunday confirmed that the Red Devils are one of the teams in the hunt for Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar, who has been a revelation for Inter since his arrival from Sampdoria.

The 24-year-old has emerged as one of Serie A’s stand-out performers this season, and Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea all had their scouts present in Cardiff when Slovakia took on Wales.