Premier League giants Chelsea have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Sevilla defender Jules Kounde ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to journalist Rudy Galetti on Twitter, Premier League giants Chelsea are keeping close tabs on Sevilla star Jules Kounde as we head into the 2022 summer transfer window.
The Frenchman is a defensive colossus for the Spanish side and has been a mainstay at the back for the last few seasons. Kounde moved to the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in 2019 and has since made 130 appearances for the club, scoring nine goals and assisting three more.
At 23, Kounde is not just a regular for Sevilla but is also making a name for himself at the international level with France. The defending world champions are jam-packed with talent, and it is a testament to Kounde’s ability that he can stake his place in the Les Bleus roster.
Having spent three successful seasons in La Liga, the Frenchman is keen to move on in the upcoming transfer window. This is good news for Chelsea, who have been eyeing him for some time now. The Blues came close to landing Kounde last summer, but Sevilla held firm and refused to sell their man.
Bringing in a reliable centre-back is more of a necessity rather than a luxury at Stamford Bridge this summer. Defensive solidity has been the mantra to Thomas Tuchel’s success at Chelsea, and the onus is on him to build a new-look backline in the off-season.
Antonio Rudiger is set to move to Real Madrid, while Andreas Christensen has been heavily linked with Barcelona. Thiago Silva is not getting any younger, while the likes of Trevoh Chalobah and Malang Sarr are far from the finished package.
Losing the likes of Rudiger and Christensen for free in the same window will be a bitter pill for Chelsea to swallow. They will need to bring in players of a similar calibre to challenge Liverpool and Manchester City for domestic dominance in the years to come.
In Kounde, they have just that player. The 23-year-old isn’t just a leader at the back but also a capable defender who is equally proficient both in the air and on the ground. He is also technically adept and has an impressive passing range. More so, the capability to bring the ball out of defence and dribble through the opposition press makes him a dynamic prospect who is in tune with the modern game.
There are few players who can provide Chelsea with a defensive solution at once while also having the potential to become their defensive lynchpin for the upcoming decade. Kounde certainly fits that bill, and the Blues will be well served to go all out to land him. With the Frenchman keen on leaving Sevilla, the Blues have now received a boost and it remains to be seen if they can get the deal over the line.
