Juventus to sign Kalidou Koulibaly

Juventus have signed Kalidous Koulivi of Benfica on a season-long loan from Benficca.

Kouli, 25, will join the Serie A club for an undisclosed fee.

He will replace Mario Balotelli, who joined Liverpool on a three-year deal from AC Milan last summer.

Juve are in the market for a centre-back after losing Giorgio Chiellini and Giorgi Mancini to Italian clubs, but Kouliy will give the club another experienced presence in central defence.

The Ivorian international has won 20 caps for his country, scoring eight goals and registering six assists.

Kalidouli joins the Giallorossi after joining Benfico from FC Internazionale last summer, and the club’s director of football Giuseppe Pecoraro has said the player is a “world class” player.

He scored 15 goals and registered five assists in the Italian league last season, helping Benfican to a runners-up finish in the Europa League.

Koulivie was on the verge of joining Inter, who had been linked with a move for the 26-year-old, when Inter’s coach Maurizio Sarri left for Real Madrid last summer and Juve signed Kouliev.

Kousibaly scored 17 goals in 73 appearances for Benfinca, scoring seven goals in Serie A.