Kalidou Koulibaly pens down emotional message after signing for AL Hilal

Riyadh [Saudi Arabia], June 26 : Former Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly penned down an emotional message for Chelsea fans after AL Hilal announced his transfer on Sunday.

Koulibaly was a part of Chelsea for one season following his arrival from Serie A Side Napoli last summer. In a season which didn't meet Chelsea's standards, Koulibaly stood out for his impressive defensive display against top English teams throughout the season.

Taking to Twitter Koulibaly wrote, "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."

https://twitter.com/kkoulibaly26/status/1673034696962240513?s=20

Chelsea released an official statement to announce the departure of their defender and thanked him for the contributions he made to the club.

"We would like to thank Kalidou for his contributions on and off the pitch during his time at Stamford Bridge and wish him well for the next stage of his career," the club wrote in an official statement as quoted by Chelsea.com.

Koulibaly is not the only Chelsea player who has left the club to play in Saudi League. Last week, former Chelsea midfielder N' Golo Kante also left Chelsea to join Al-Ittihad.

The club shared details about the signing of Kante. In a statement the club wrote, "Ittihad Club has announced the signing of French international player N'Golo Kante, the former Chelsea player who won the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the 2021 UEFA Champions League Kante has signed a three-year contract with the club. The contract was finalized on Tuesday, June 20th, after Kante completed his medical tests at a specialized medical center in Dubai. This move comes as Ittihad, who recently won the Saudi Professional League, aims to strengthen their squad," the statement read.

"Kante's addition to Al-Ittihad is considered one of the most high-profile and impactful signings in the club's history. It is part of the club's efforts to establish itself as a top choice for world-class players in the Saudi Professional League. The team is also preparing for a significant international tournament, the FIFA Club World Cup, which will take place at the end of this year," the statement ended.

It is highly likely that Koulibaly and Kante won't be the last Chelsea player to leave the club and join the Saudi League.

Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and winger Hakim Ziyech are highly linked for a move to the Saudi as well.

Koulibaly will link up with former Wolves star Ruben Neves at Al-Hilal. He will be keen to challenge Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr for the Saudi Pro League title next season.