Sevilla defender Jules Kounde (Photo by Joaquin Corchero/Shutterstock 11844392aa)
Chelsea have reportedly set their sights on Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde to bolster their defence this summer.
The French defender is attracting interest from major European clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid as well, according to AS.
A report from Dailymail additionally claims that in order to sign Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, Chelsea are willing to make an incredible player-plus-cash offer involving Hakim Ziyech.
Ziyech was signed last summer for a fee of around €40 million, but the forward has failed to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans on a regular basis. In 17 Premier League games, he has managed to score just a solitary goal and provided three assists.
Jules Kounde has made a name for himself at Sevilla by putting in a number of exceptional performances. Since bursting onto the scene at Bordeaux during the 2017-18 season, he has progressed well into one of Europe’s most talented defenders.
The 22-year old centre-back played an instrumental role in Julen Lopetegui’s side winning the Europa League last season.
He has the ability to read the game well from the back, which is an underrated ability in a young defender. He averages 1.3 interceptions per game because of his ability to read the game. Even though he is not a tall lad, he wins more than 3 aerial duels per game.
Chelsea already have options at the back, with the likes of Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma, and Andreas Christensen. Fikayo Tomori is another talented centre-back who is having a solid season on loan with AC Milan.
It has to be seen if Tomori will be given a chance at Chelsea, or the Serie A club make his loan move permanent. Thiago Silva is in the twilight of his career, and he is not a long-term option.
Thomas Tuchel has several options at the back but having Kounde will give them stability, and quality in the longer run. Sevilla are aware of the defender’s massive potential. They won’t allow him to leave him cheaply. He has a £69 million release clause, so Chelsea will have to dish out the big bucks to sign him.
Thus, the option of offering Ziyech in the deal to drive down the transfer fee down makes sense.
Stats Courtesy: Whoscored
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