Koulibaly leaves Chelsea for Al-Hilal

Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly has joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal from Premier League side Chelsea, the two clubs announced on Sunday.

The four-times Asian Champions League winners said Koulibaly’s contract would run until 2026 without releasing any financial details. British media reported that the Saudi club would pay around 17 million pounds ($21.61 million) for the centre-back.

Koulibaly joined Chelsea from Napoli last July.

The 32-year-old is the second player moving to Al-Hilal from the English Premier League after Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Friday.

League Champions Al-Ittihad signed Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema earlier this month, while the club has also confirmed that former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is joining them.

Al-Hilal are the most decorated club in Saudi Arabia and Asia having won 66 trophies, and they hold the record for league and Asian Champions titles with 18 and four respectively.

Boosting their squad is a priority for the Riyadh-based club, who have lost their league and Champions League crowns.