Chelsea Make Move For £80m Jules Kounde But Face Stiff Competition From Premier League Rivals

Sevilla centre-back Jules Koundé has been strongly linked with a move to Chelsea this summer. Sevilla signed the 23 year old French international from Bordeaux for €25 million (£21.4 million) in 2019 and he’s become an integral part of the Spanish side’s starting Xl.

Chelsea are looking to bolster their defence. Antonio Rüdiger’s departure has been confirmed and a move to Real Madrid looks likely. Blues legend César Azpilicueta is now 32 and, whilst Thiago Silva is still capable of producing world class performances, the Brazilian is 37.

These are not Chelsea’s only defensive problems, Andreas Christensen, Macros Alonso and Trevor Chalobah are all considered to have shown inconsistency at times this season and have struggled to gain regular appearances in the starting Xl.

As a result, Jules Koundé is said to be Chelsea’s top priority this summer. There is, however, the small matter of his €80 million (£68 million) release clause. Sevilla are, unsurprisingly, demanding the payment of Koundé’s release clause in full, meaning he’d become the third most expensive defender in football history if sold.

Chelsea are not the only top six club interested in the French defender. Liverpool and Man United are both reportedly eyeing a potential Koundé transfer. This has attracted scepticism from BT sport pundit Steve McManaman, a former Liverpool midfielder, who said regarding Koundé ‘I still think he has to improve if he’s going to be in the top echelons of the Premier League, where you will find the very best teams’.

The high price and tough competition to acquire Koundé may leave Chelsea wishing that they’d held on to young defender Fikayo Tomori, who played a crucial role in AC Milan’s recent Serie A triumph.