Jules Kounde Fits The Bill For Chelsea As Defensive Rebuild Looms This Summer

Saturday’s defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup final confirmed that Chelsea will finish the 2021/22 season without a trophy. This is a big disappointment for a team that started the campaign with ambitions of challenging Liverpool and Manchester City for the Premier
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League title after winning the Champions League the season before.

However, the situation is about to become even more challenging for the Stamford Bridge outfit as they move into a summer transfer window of uncertainty. Chelsea’s ownership situation hasn’t helped matters in recent months, but even with a new owner in Todd Boehly expected to be confirmed soon there are several issues to be addressed.

Most pressing is the situation in Chelsea’s defence. It’s already been confirmed that Antonio Rudiger will leave the club at the end of the season with Real Madrid reportedly leading the pursuit of the German while Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen are expected to follow him out the exit door.

This means three first team defenders will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season at a time when it’s not yet clear if the club will be able to make any new signings. As things stand, Chelsea are still under sanctions imposed on them by the UK Government. It won’t be until Boehly’s takeover is complete that these are lifted.

Assuming Chelsea can make signings this summer, though, they should target Jules Kounde as their first new addition of the window. The French defender has been on their radar for some time and would be a good replacement for Azpilicueta in all that he offers. Kounde’s arrival at Stamford Bridge would be a statement of intent.

Kounde is comfortable playing as one half of a centre back partnership, can operate on the right side of a back three and is even capable at right wing back. The Sevilla defender is physically strong, but good on the ball. He is the modern defender in the way that he can play out possession from the back.

At 23 years old, Kounde has plenty time to improve further. He has proven himself at the top end of La Liga and has also played in the Champions League and Europa League. The fundamental qualities of Kounde’s game are sound and he would be a good player for Thomas Tuchel to mould.

What’s more, Kounde is ready to take the next step in his career having spent the last three years at Sevilla. He has achieved all there is to achieve at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan and needs to move to a club with a higher ceiling to fulfil his own potential. A summer switch to Chelsea would fit the bill.

Of course, Tuchel will require more than just the addition of Kounde to replenish his defensive ranks – the decision to let Fikayo Tomori leave for AC Milan now looks a peculiar one – but the Frenchman would give Chelsea a solid basis to build on. It would underline the renewed ambition of a club under new ownership.