Napoli boss Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly joked that he won't return to the club from his holidays if they decide to sell defender Kalidou Koulibaly this summer.
The Senegalese is currently with his country at the Africa Cup of Nations, but that hasn't stopped the transfer speculation growing around the 28-year-old.
Koulibaly has been linked with Premier League winners Manchester City and European champions Liverpool , but it is Manchester United who have seen their name mentioned most often alongside a player widely regarded as one of the best central defenders in the world.
Koulibaly is believed to have a clause in his contract allowing him to leave Naples for around €135million, but so far no club has come anywhere close to matching that figure.
And club president Aurelio de Laurentiis will be desperate for them not to, especially as - as per Calcio Mercato - Ancelotti has said he will leave the Naples club if that there the case.
The former AC Milan, Chelsea , Real Madrid and Bayern Munich boss is currently on holiday in Canada, and the report linked to above says that he has told the club, with his tongue firmly in his cheek, he won't return to the Stadio San Paolo if he finds out that that the centre-back has been sold while he is away.
In truth, Koulibaly is expected to stay at the club this summer as no interested party seems set to stump up the cash required to sign him.
Napoli are closing in on a deal to sign James Rodriguez from Real Madrid, with the Colombian set to play for Ancelotti for a third time.
They are also close to doing a deal for the Roma defender Kostas Manolas, but he will arrive as Koulibaly's new partner and not his replacement.
