Koul and the gally

EX-CHELSEA DEFENDER KALIDOU: HUGE DECISION TO LEAVE THE PREM, BUT RONALDO AND KANTE HELPED ME SETTLE...NOW I'VE WON THE LEAGUE

- MARK LOMAS

KALIDOU KOULIBALY has given Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne an insight into life in the Saudi League.

De Bruyne's advisers were in Saudi a few weeks ago chatting to clubs about their roster of big-name players, and Belgian midfield magician KDB has said he has an "open mind" on his next move.

If he needed any encouragement over making a Saudi switch in the future, Koulibaly is his man.

The 32-year-old France star has no regrets about swapping Chelsea and west London for East, the Middle though he admitted it was a "difficult choice" at the time.

Koulibaly has now just won the Saudi Pro League title with Al-Hilal, and the Senegal centre-back says his initial doubts were eased by knowing that stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and N'Golo Kante had made the move.