Chelsea fans have been quick to praise new centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly for his first goal for the club against London rivals Tottenham on Sunday. The Senegal international joined the Blues from Serie A side Napoli this summer, in a deal worth roughly £30million.
The defender was the second men's senior team signing of the new Boehly-Clearlake era at Stamford Bridge, having long been touted with a move to the Premier League. The 31-year-old was brought in to replace the outgoing Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger as part of a huge squad reshuffle.
"I'm very happy to be here with this team at Chelsea," Koulibaly said in a statement. "It's a big team in the world and my dream was always to play in the Premier League. Chelsea came first to get me in 2016 but we didn't make it. Now when they came to me I accepted it because they really wanted me to come to the Premier League to play for them."
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The towering defender kept a clean sheet in his first league outing against Everton and lined up against Tottenham in his home debut for the club. Just 19 minutes into that first start at Stamford Bridge, Koulibaly scored a stunning volley after latching onto a corner.
Fans were quick to take to social media after the goal to have their say:
@matthewsizzac: "Koulibaly looking exactly like John Terry inside the box during corner kicks. Tears in my eyes man. That legendary No.26 is in safe hands."
@oviekelly: "Koulibaly is carrying on John Terry’s legacy at Chelsea with the jersey number 26."
@Durant3Lorenzo: "So happy the world can finally see how talented Koulibaly is, the best CB in the world people."
@Jon_Bernthall: "Better than Rudiger."
@K17027: "He’s Chelsea already Tottenham get battered everywhere they go!!!!!"
@_messiclear: "I have seen enough We are winning the quadruple this season."
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