Jules Kounde could still come to Chelsea.
According to a report from Tutto Mercato Web, via Sport Witness (h/t football.london), Chelsea ‘seem close’ to reaching an agreement with Sevilla for the transfer of French centre-back Jules Kounde in the upcoming summer transfer window. The centre-back has been on the Blues’ radar for a while now.
Kounde has been a familiar name to Chelsea fans after being linked with a move to Stamford Bridge since the previous summer. Although the transfer failed to materialise, the Sevilla defender continues to impress in Spain and has been central to Sevilla’s good form this season. This has not gone unnoticed at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues keeping a close eye on the player’s performances.
It now seems that Chelsea are set to make a summer transfer for the Sevilla man, who continues to draw admiring glances from other top European sides. The Blues are in the market for defenders given the senior names out of contract at the end of the campaign.
Chelsea are said to have employed club director Marina Granovskaia to lead the attempt to bring Kounde to Stamford Bridge after they failed to convince Sevilla to part with the defender the previous summer. This time, the club have reportedly offered Sevilla an initial payment of £46.1m, with £4.2m as bonuses.
Although the January transfer window is open, it seems unlikely that the Blues are pushing for a move to land the France international this month. With just a week left for the window to close, both sides have little time to work out a deal.
The upcoming 2022 summer transfer window appears to be the right time to bring the Kounde saga to a satisfactory end. At 23, Kounde is young enough to become the defensive lynchpin for the Blues for years to come. He could be the first piece around who Tomas Tuchel can build a new-look defence.
The news could not have come at a better time for Chelsea, as the club could lose three of their senior defenders at the end of the season. Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Cesar Azpilicueta are all into the final six months of their current contract at Stamford Bridge and could leave for free in the summer if they do not renew their deals in the coming months.
In what could be a disastrous situation for us before the start of the next campaign, signing Kounde will settle some nerves. In recent years, the 23-year-old has built up enough experience playing on the European stage with Sevilla and France and could fit in well at Stamford Bridge.
Understandably, Sevilla does not want to lose one of their best stars in the middle of the season, but it sure looked like we could have used the France international this month. With our defensive stars suffering from injuries and Covid, the backline has appeared porous allowing our opponents to take full advantage of the situation.
Given the player’s potential and age, the quoted price could prove to be a steal for Chelsea in the years to come. Kounde will be expected to slot into Tuchel’s rearguard and play an important role in the upcoming seasons.
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