Former Everton defender Michael Ball believes that Kalidou Koulibaly quality is much needed at Goodison Park. 

The Napoli centre-half has been linked with a move to the Premier League in the past, with Manchester City one of the clubs who were interested in signing him last summer.

And it appears that Koulibaly is on Rafa Benitez’ wish list this summer, with Calciomercato (via the Liverpool Echo) reporting the Toffees' interest in the highly rated defender.

On the transfer rumours, Ball told FFC: “Everton do have quite a lot of centre-backs, but I feel his quality is much needed. The defensive side of Everton last season was pretty good at times, before the last game of the season the drubbing from Man City hurt them quite badly on the goal difference situation.”

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti obviously rates the defender highly and doesn’t want him to vacate the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium this summer, as Goal reported that Spalletti said in his press conference that “to keep him, I will chain myself somewhere”.

Rafa Benitez has already dipped his toes in the transfer market this summer acquiring both Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray, as well as Asmir Begovic, but if the Merseyside outfit are to land Koulibaly, they are going to have to break their transfer record for the defender.

This is because journalist Fabrizio Romano told the Don Robbie YouTube channel: “I see some reports from Italy saying €40m/€45m, I’m told that it's more than this. It’s far more than this, around €70m, something like this to sign Koulibaly, so it won’t be so easy.”