Chelsea have begun talks with Sevilla to sign defender Jules Kounde this summer. The 22-year-old has been superb for the Spanish club since moving from Bordeaux in 2019.
As per The Guardian, Kounde is interested in moving to England and wants to play Champions League football. The Blues have established contact with Sevilla over a move for Kounde but the Champions League winners are not willing to pay his release clause of £68.4 million. Manchester United were also linked with a move for the French defender recently.
Manager Thomas Tuchel reportedly wants a central defender before the start of the season and is willing to sell a couple of existing options currently at his disposal. Kounde has three years remaining on his contract at the Spanish club.
Jules Kounde: A top long-term addition to the club?
Jules Kounde is a top talent, who has the potential to be a very good Premier League player. The Frenchman is a quick player who is comfortable on the ball and likes to pass the ball out from the back. The 22-year-old, despite his 5’10” frame, is very good in the air, averaging 3 aerial wins per game in La Liga last season.
Kounde averaged almost 1 dribble per game in La Liga last season, while he is a strong passer as well, completing 90% of his passes in the Spanish league last season. The 22-year-old has been an ever-present fixture in the Sevilla side over the last two seasons and has shown great composure and maturity at the back.
His good performances for the Spanish side earned him a call-up to the French national team earlier this year, and he has played twice for France. Kounde has played a lot of football for a 22-year-old and has grown by leaps and bounds over the last two seasons.
He would be a fantastic addition to the Chelsea team, especially considering Tuchel plays a three-man defence which will allow Kounde to play his natural game with added security alongside him.
Jules Kounde could be a good fit alongside the likes of Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger in his role as a ball-playing defender. He could also play as a wing-back if required, as he has the speed and dribbling ability to go up and down the flanks. The Frenchman would have a lot of freedom to take risks with his passing as he will have cover from the other two centre-backs, as well as one of the Chelsea midfield.
Kounde has shown great form at Sevilla and if his growth trajectory continues on the right path, Chelsea will have an excellent long-term world class player in their ranks.
Tuchel has been fantastic in the short span he has been at Stamford Bridge and with a couple of new players of his choice, the fans will be hopeful of another successful season with the German at the helm.
