In a recent print edition, ABC has stated that Chelsea have already made an offer for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde this summer. It is understood that the Blues could face competition from Real Madrid in the race to recruit the French centre-half in this off-season (transcripted and translated by Sport Witness).
Kounde’s Excellent Form At Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium
Kounde experienced a solid season with the Seville outfit after producing several commanding displays at the centre of their backline. The Paris-born defensive ace made 49 appearances for the Spanish club in the previous campaign, finding the back of the net on four occasions and securing one assist across all competitions.
The 22-year-old has proven his worth as a reliable central defender by averaging 0.8 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, 2.9 clearances, 0.6 shots and 0.9 dribbles per game in the 2020-21 La Liga season. He was also excellent with his ball distribution as he completed 90.1% of his attempted passes in the Spanish top-flight (stats via whoscored).
Kounde’s current contract at Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium expires in the summer of 2024 which could make it difficult for Chelsea to land him this summer. He has taken great strides towards improving himself over the past year, so it is no surprise that the reigning UEFA Champions League champions want to bring him to Stamford Bridge before the start of the new campaign.
What Will The French Defender Add To Thomas Tuchel’s Team?
Kounde is a quick and agile centre-back who can marshall his penalty box quite well using his strength and leaping ability. He can dominate the opposition in the air and is a very good tackler of the ball. The French sensation has a knack for making some crucial interceptions and doesn’t take too many risks with his clearances as well. Furthermore, he excels at playing his way out from the back, so he will be a perfect fit for Thomas Tuchel’s playing style at the English capital.
At 22, Kounde is maturing into a world-class defender in European football. He will undoubtedly add a lot of quality to Tuchel’s defensive department and could go on to form a solid defensive partnership with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen at Stamford Bridge in the coming seasons.
Kounde could even serve as a decent long-term successor to Thiago Silva who is in the twilight years of his playing career. The Sevilla youngster has previously won the UEFA Europa League but needs to switch clubs if he intends to taste more success over the next few years. Chelsea will be an ideal home for Kounde as he will enjoy playing football under a world-class manager like Tuchel.
