Sources: Chelsea to launch “aggressive” move for £65m-70m Liverpool transfer target
Chelsea were notably close to signing Jules Kounde during his time at Sevilla back in 2021, only for him to join Barcelona instead.
However, the Blues are now on alert for Kounde again as it looks like he could be made available for the right price this summer, as first reported here for the Daily Briefing.
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My understanding is that Chelsea are now ready to try an “aggressive” push for the France international’s signature, though other clubs could also get involved.
Liverpool and Manchester City have been linked with Kounde and I can confirm they’re monitoring his situation, though Chelsea are understood to be showing the strongest interest at this stage.
Jules Kounde to add more experience to Chelsea defence?
Despite Chelsea’s current owners prioritising investing in elite young players, there is some degree of openness to adding a bit more experience to their squad this summer.
I’ve previously mentioned that Chelsea view Harry Maguire as an option in that position as he nears the end of his contract, and Kounde is another who could come in and offer something that the west Londoners have sorely missed since Thiago Silva’s departure.
“Chelsea still have faith in their transfer policy and are expected to stick with it,” one source in the industry told me. “But they’re open to adding more experience if the opportunity arises, and Kounde is someone they’ve been interested in for a long time. They’re aware he could leave Barcelona this summer and are preparing an aggressive approach to lure him to Stamford Bridge.”
Jules Kounde transfer won’t come cheap
This deal is far from straightforward, however, as some sources I’ve spoken to have also indicated that Kounde himself is not desperate to leave Barca.
Their asking price for the 27-year-old could also be pretty high, with his valuation in the region of £65-70m.
That could be an important sale for Barcelona to help them with their current financial issues, but Chelsea and other clubs would likely look to strike a deal for well below that, or else explore options elsewhere.
Kounde is not getting any younger, so probably doesn’t have much resale value at this stage in his career, while his salary is also expected to be high, perhaps around €18m a year.
There are a lot of moving parts here, but Chelsea’s strong interest and Barcelona’s desire to sell makes this an intriguing saga to keep an eye on this summer.
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