Kalidou Koulibaly sends message to Chelsea supporters after Al-Hilal transfer confirmed

WHAT HAPPENED?: Koulibaly thanked Chelsea fans for supporting him during his one-year spell at the London side. The former Napoli defender joined Saudi side Al-Hilal on a three-year deal for a fee of €23 million. Despite struggling at Stamford Bridge for the majority of the season, Koulibaly showed glimpses of his ability on several occasions but failed to fall into the future plans of Mauricio Pochettino.

WHAT THEY SAID: In an emotional post, Koulibaly : "From my first game to my last, it was an honour to wear this badge. Last season wasn’t the one we wanted, but I want to thank the fans and everyone at the club for your support."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Despite being one of the marquee signings of the new era at Chelsea last year, the Senegal captain failed to replicate his performances from his stint at Napoli. With Pochettino planning to trim a large Chelsea squad, Koulibaly was one of the big names that decided to leave the club.

IN TWO PHOTOS:GettyGetty

WHAT NEXT FOR KOULIBALY? The experienced player will now be looking to forget his disastrous Chelsea campaign and focus on the challenge lying in front of him. Koulibaly holds the responsibility of uplifting the Saudi League which is already attracting some key players across Europe.