Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
£162k - a week Blues star offers £64 vid messages
Chelsea’s £33m star Koulibaly loves talking to fans
A PREMIER League soccer star paid £162,000 a week is selling video messages to fans... at £64 a throw.
Chelsea’s new star Kalidou Koulibaly, 31, has delighted supporters by recording birthday greetings on his camera phone.
Fans book him to record a clip using messaging site Cameo – where retired Premier League aces make a few quid.
But defender Koulibaly, who signed from Italian club Napoli this summer for a fee of around £33million, does it purely for kicks.
A source said: “Kalidou doesn’t need the money – far from it. He makes an absolute fortune.
“This is just a bit of fun. He finds time to talk to his fans directly between his busy schedule of training and matches – and they don’t mind stumping up.
“It is also a great way to build your brand off the pitch – and we all know a footballer’s career doesn’t last forever. It’s win win.”
Koulibaly told one fan in a message after scoring against London rivals Spurs: “I know you enjoyed the goal against Tottenham and I hope to have many goals.”
His clips have gone down well so far, with nine supporters giving positive reviews this month. One chuffed fan wrote: “What a lovely video. You are such
MATCH OF THE PAY £64 video message from Koulibaly a nice, pleasant man. Thank you so much for sending this birthday wish to my brother.”
Retired aces flogging video messages on the site include Three Lions legends David Seaman, Michael Owen and Paul Ince, plus former England boss SvenGoran Eriksson.
French-born Koulibaly, who plays international football for Senegal, moved to Stamford Bridge after being tracked by Europe’s top clubs.
Locals in his former home town of Naples loved the star so much they named a pizza in his honour.