Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly tells Napoli’s De Laurentiis to show more respect after AFCON remarks

Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly has disclosed that Napoli's Aurelio De Laurentiis to show respect for African football following his recent comments about the Africa Cup of Nations.

De Laurentiis said during an interview with Smart Talk on Wall Street Italia that his club will avoid signing any more African players unless they agree not to play in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, who recently joined Chelsea missed six Napoli games while on international duty at this year's tournament, which took place in January and February.

"I asked respectfully to the owner that I wanted to leave for Chelsea but he told me that it wouldn’t be possible," Koulibaly told Guardian.

"So I waited a bit and continued my conversation with them but they really didn’t want me to leave the club so I decided to renew my contract to stay in Napoli."

"Nobody ever told me not to go to AFCON or something like this," he added.

"Maybe sometimes they try to ask my manager or something like this.

"But me, now as captain of Senegal, when AFCON comes I have to be the first one there, the first one in Senegal."