Jules Kounde could still come to Chelsea.
According to The Guardian, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has doubts about signing Sevilla defender Jules Kounde regarding his ability to prosper in the Premier League given his short height.
Over the past few weeks, Barcelona and Chelsea have engaged in a fierce transfer battle over Kounde. Chelsea scouted for other players this summer, but their inability to land Matthijs de Ligt and Nathan Ake pushed them to look to Kounde.
Chelsea put in a bid for the French international in the region of £55 million, and they had a transfer agreement with Sevilla. And for a time, it appeared as though they were ready to sign the 23-year-old sensation, but Barcelona were spurred into action once their second economic lever was pulled.
It is now believed that Chelsea’s German manager might not be fully convinced about signing the 5ft 10in defender as the France international’s diminutive height worries him. Tuchel is looking for fresh centre-back options to bolster his defence before the next season.
There are presently four established first-team centre-back options for the Blues, including Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly, who was acquired from Napoli in order to back up Trevoh Chalobah, Malang Sarr, and Thiago Silva.
Tuchel, however, might believe that he needs another defender who can play on the left of the central three because he has used his customary 3-4-1-2 system since joining Chelsea at the beginning of 2021, utilising it to create the Blues’ European glory.
Jules Kounde is a very capable centre-back who has regularly given good performances over the previous few seasons. Despite his young age, the 23-year-old can make an immediate difference at Chelsea because he has played a significant amount of football at Spain’s top level.
Even though height is an important factor, many players have debunked the myth that height is the only trait needed to be a top-level defender. However, without the manager’s trust, he might not reach his full potential even if Chelsea signs him.
Amid such a situation it would be best for Chelsea to abandon their pursuit of the French international and begin exploring other possibilities. As long as the manager is not on board, every signing is a risk.
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