Chelsea target Jules Kounde.
Speaking on Reach PLC’s Transfer Window Podcast, as quoted by The Express, Duncan Castles has revealed that Chelsea are worried over their deal for Sevilla ace Jules Kounde as Real Madrid and Manchester United could hijack the move.
The 23-year-old ace has quickly become one of the best centre-backs in world football. His defensive displays in La Liga and the Champions League have been noteworthy. In October, he also played a vital role in helping Les Bleus lift the UEFA Nations League earlier this year. A fine defender, Chelsea are now hoping to land his services.
The Blues failed to complete a deal in the summer but are now poised to return for him in January. Personal terms were agreed with the player and it remains to be seen if it hands Chelsea an advantage this time around. The Spanish club is also willing to accept a fee less than his release clause of £68m.
However, the West London club are now slightly worried about their move for the French international as Real Madrid and Man United could potentially throw a spanner in the works. It remains to be seen if either team can make a financial offer that can trump Chelsea.
“They (Chelsea) have continued to make it clear they want to bring him to the Premier League and that they are interested in doing it in January…During the last transfer window, there was also interest in the player from Real Madrid and a degree of interest from Manchester United.
“So, there is pressure on Chelsea here, although they have the player’s agreement, they do kind of need to get the deal done in case another major club comes in and says to Monchi ‘okay, we’ll meet that asking price’ and can say to Kounde ‘we’re as good an option as Chelsea, we’ll meet the financial terms, come to us instead.”
It is understandable why the Blues could be worried about this situation. The Red Devils and Los Blancos are European heavyweights and could offer a similarly lucrative offer to the player. Moreover, they also harbour similar ambitions.
However, the fact that personal terms have been agreed is an indication that the player is genuinely keen on playing for us. He is a top talent, and playing at the home of the current European champions is an attractive prospect.
In fact, he might also get more playing time in London. Madrid are currently operating with David Alaba and Eder Militao at the back. Man United have Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire as their starting options. All of this could change if they sign Kounde, but Chelsea could have an open vacancy that the Frenchman could fill.
Four of our main central defenders are out of contract in the summer. Antonio Rudiger is the likeliest to leave, with Real Madrid interested. Thus, the Sevilla star could simply replace him. However, a deal needs to be completed soon since the player is unlikely to wait around for a long time. He is hot property at the moment and it is crucial to get him to put pen to paper before the competition swoops in.
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