Chelsea look ready to make a huge bid for one defender this summer as they try to improve their backline.
Defence is one area Chelsea are likely to strengthen after the problems that Enzo Maresca has had there this season.
Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile have both picked up bad injuries in the current campaign, while Levi Colwill’s form has been a concern of late.
Colwill was a disaster in Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, giving the Blues more reason to consider signing a new centre-back.
Chelsea could make £83m bid for Jules Kounde
Jules Kounde has been playing at right-back for Barcelona these days, but the 26-year-old can also start in central defence.
As a result, it looks like he is one player Chelsea are considering ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Sport, after trying to sign him last season, the Blues could make a €100m (£83m) bid for Kounde.
Chelsea are unlikely to end up with him, though, with the same outlet reporting that Barcelona are hoping to extend his contract very soon.
Feyenoord’s David Hancko could be heading to Juventus, so that is another defender Chelsea could miss out on. The 27-year-old France international has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Would Hansi Flick be willing to let Jules Kounde join Chelsea?
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is likely to be on the same page as his club. The former Bayern Munich boss rates Kounde very highly.
“Kounde is a good example for the whole team,” Flick was quoted as saying by Get Spanish Football News earlier in the campaign. “He’s improving a lot this season. He’s growing with each performance. He’s a very professional player, always focused during games and training. I value a lot that he made those assists.
“Since day one at Barca, I kept saying that Jules Kounde is an excellent player. Once again, you saw how good he is.”
It is a shame that Chelsea will probably miss out on Kounde. Over the last few years, he has proven to be both a top right-back and centre-back, and Maresca really needs the latter. When you look at the state of the Blues’ defence and the shape it has been in for a while, Kounde could have been as impactful as Cole Palmer or Moises Caicedo.
Again, Colwill has been very unconvincing lately, while Fofana, as good as a defender he is, can just not be relied on because of his injury record.
You would expect Chelsea to buy another centre-back in the summer, but it would be a surprise if it was Kounde.
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