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LONDON. — Chelsea have won the £30million race to capture Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly. The Senegalese centre-half has decided his time in Italy is over, having failed to reach agreement over a new contract with the Serie A club. New Blues boss Antonio Conte wants to build his side around the 25-year-old and has stolen a march on London rivals Arsenal who were also keen.

Now the deal is set to go through once the player agrees a severance package with Napoli. Chelsea have been plugging away trying to finalise a move since May, but complications over image rights proved difficult to surmount, with Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis digging his heels in.

But the player appears to have opted for a move to Stamford Bridge. — The Mirror