Ghanaian International Salisu Mohammed has appeared on summer transfer list of Serie A side Napoli according to a reports in Italy.
Salisu had attracted big name clubs during his days at Real Valladolid with Real Madrid, Manchester United and Barcelona nearly launching a bid for the central defender.
With all these attempts failed, Southampton completed a £10.9m signing of Mohammed Salisu from Real Valladolid in August 2020 with the Ghanaian continuing to raise his performance bar in the English Premier League.
Since moving to the Saints, Manchester United have completely not stop tracking Salisu though the Old Trafford side have opted for the signing of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid within the period when they chase the Southampton back liner.
While United’s future deal for Salisu is still in the pipeline, the Ghanaian International has been linked with Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea in recent times.
With all these transfer rumors premising Salisu’s future in English football, the 22-year old could depart for the Italian Serie A this summer after Napoli reportedly interested in signing Salisu.
The Naples based side have long resisted the loss of top notch defender Kalidou Koulibaly after turning down several sound offers from the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United for sale of the Senegalese.
And with clubs still keen on a breakthrough in Kalidou Koulibaly’s deal in summer, Napoli have completely not accepted defeat to keep the defender though but could likely lose their prize asset at the end of this season.
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has affirmed his club’s high asking price for Kalidou Koulibaly in the region of at least 90million pounds- a price seen as a strategy to ward off prospective Koulibaly chasers.
But Barcelona, who are also optioning in Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen, are interested in a deal for Koulibaly and may launch a bid for the AFCON winner in summer which De Laurentis foresees the departure of Koulibaly.
Napoli is understood to target Mohammed Salisu from Southampton along with teammate and center pair Jan Bednarek in summer according to a report in Corriere dello Sport via Teamtalk. The sources on Wednesday afternoon claimed that Napoli have penciled down Bednarek and Salisu’s names on their summer transfer shopping list.
Salisu could be a direct replacement for Koulibaly if the Senegalese leaves Napoli. However, the Serie A side, who are understood building a new era, could equally launch a bid to sign the former Real Valladolid center-back if the Senegalese defender remains at Naples.
Napoli don’t just like the player for his height but are meanwhile impressed by the experience he’s built up. Mohammed Salisu has made 27 appearances for Southampton so far this season, and contract expires June 2024.
No Southampton asking price has emerged but with 2 more years remaining on Salisu’s contract at the Saints, Napoli could be asked to pay high for the Ghanaian’s signature, suggested by Teamtalk.
Mohammed Salisu has snubbed to play for the Black Stars since prominence in Spain despite many of Ghana’s effort to convince the defender at senior national level.
The 22-year old rejected a Black Stars call-up to a maiden AFCON campaign in Cameroon 2022 with Ghana’s journey ending sadly after failing to qualify out from the group phase.
The West African country face Nigeria in World Cup playoff for Qatar 2022 and the Southampton defender has reportedly agreed to join the Black Stars team for this month’s clash with the Super Green Eagles.
