Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly is keen to stay at his current club for “many years” despite the rumours that have linked him to Inter.

Speaking to UK news outlet The Times, the 31-year-old Senegalese international put the brakes on rumours that he could depart from Stamford Bridge very soon, with the Nerazzurri reportedly having lined him up as a possible replacement for Milan Skriniar.

Things have not quite gone according to plan for Koulibaly in his first season in the Premier League.

After spending the better part of a decade at Napoli where the Senegalese established himself as one of the top defenders in Serie A, a lot was expected of Koulibaly at Chelsea.

However, the AFCON winner has not quite shown his best self thus far in a Chelsea shirt, and he certainly hasn’t been helped by the fact that the Blues’ form has been dreadful and their season has threatened to devolve into chaos.

Nevertheless, Koulibaly is still a very highly-rated player who would have no shortage of suitors were he to leave Chelsea during any of the upcoming transfer windows.

Inter would be among the teams keen to bring the 31-year-old back to Serie A, as they have reportedly lined Koulibaly as well as his Chelsea teammate Trevoh Chalobah as prospective replacements for Milan Skriniar who is set to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.

All of this would depend on Koulibaly leaving Stamford Bridge this summer, however, and they could find that the defender is not within their reach should he make clear that he has no intention of departing just twelve months after his arrival.

“I want to be part of this club for many years,” the 31-year-old tole The Times.

“This is not the year Chelsea were expecting, but sometimes when you have big changes, new owners, and half the team is new, everybody has to adapt,” he added.