Chelsea are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign highly-rated Sevilla defender Jules Kounde.
The Blues could complete their second signing of the summer transfer window by acquiring the services of Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan in eh coming days. They have agreed on a £97.5million fee with Inter Milan for the Belgian international, who left Stamford Bridge in 2014 for Everton.
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano on Don Robbie YouTube channel (h/t The Sport Review), Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Jules Kounde and remain in talks with Sevilla to come to an agreement over the defender’s potential sale.
Jules Kounde, 22, has developed into one of Europe’s top young centre-backs in a very short span of time. The Frenchman was a regular fixture in the Sevilla side that finished fourth on the table, featuring in 34 LaLiga games.
His impressive performances for Julen Lopetegui’s side last season didn’t go unnoticed, with France manager Didier Deschamps selecting him in his Euro 2020 squad.
Also read: Is Romelu Lukaku the final piece of the jigsaw at Chelsea?
Jules Kounde to Chelsea — Can he spark their Premier League title challenge?
The European champions have been very quiet in the transfer market so far. But they accelerating their plans to rope in a few new faces before the window slams shut.
Thomas Tuchel, who transformed the Chelsea side last season after replacing Frank Lampard in January, will want his side to challenge for the Premier League title. He wants to bolster his defensive department, which was the Blues’ main strength in their Champions League triumph.
In Thiago Silva, Antonio Rudiger, Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen, Chelsea do have quality centre-back options. Silva signed a one-year contract extension earlier this summer but will turn 37 in September, while Zouma has been on the radar of West Ham.
Not to forget, Rudiger and Christensen are out of contract in the summer of 2022; so, it makes perfect sense for Tuchel to recruit a centre-back this month. With a backup goalkeeper in Marcus Bettinelli signed and Romelu Lukaku’s return to Stamford Bridge, all eyes are now fixed on Jules Kounde.
After arriving from Bordeaux in 2019, Kounde has been a consistent performer for Sevilla and played a crucial role in helping the club win the Europa League trophy in his debut campaign.
The Paris-born centre-half is a fast, and strong defender who is a good passer and can bring the ball out from the base with ease. He is a tenacious tackler and reliable in the air, despite possessing a relatively short frame for a centre-back.
Kounde has shown his ability to organise the backline well and chip in with crucial goals at Sevilla. Also, the France international can play at right-back, and this sort of versatility could potentially help Tuchel’s side a lot.
At 22, Kounde has plenty of time to develop his game and unlock his true potential. The Frenchman is already a top centre-half and his addition could help Chelsea a long way in mounting a serious title challenge this season.