When  signed for Sevilla in 2019 from Bordeaux, the
biggest doubts over him were that he was an attacking player trapped in a defender’s
body. Over the next three years those concerns vanished – sure, he could play like a stylish midfielder, but his defensive qualities were beyond question.In his first season Sevilla had the
third best defensive record in Liga.

In his second campaign they repeated that feat.
And last season, despite finishing fourth, Sevilla had the best defensive record in the division. Much of
that was down to Kounde.He rarely makes a mistake but when he does he has the pace
to recover.

His speed also means that defences with him at the
heart would be able to play a high line.  Jules
Kounde is expected to sign for Chelsea over Barcelona in a
deal worth £55m from SevillaIt is little wonder that Barcelona wanted to sign him.

If Xavi is going to park his defence on the halfway line this coming campaign, then there is no
one better suited than the 23-year-old French international.
The concern in England might be that, with more aerial
threat to deal with week in week out, Kounde is too small.

That forgets that he leaps as high as any taller defender.Gus
Poyet had the same doubts when he arrived in Bordeaux during the second half
of the 2017-18 season and spotted the young
defender in the reserves.‘He made his debut a week before I arrived,’
Poyet told Sportsmail. Thomas Tuchel is likely to deploy Kounde on the
right-hand side of his back three in defence RELATED ARTICLES

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‘When you meet Jules and you know he’s a centre-half your
first reaction is: oh, he’s not over six foot. But then you see him training
and you see him jumping and you see him competing and you say: it’s not an issue.‘I don’t want to
compare him with anyone because he is still young, but we can go to the [Fabio]
Cannavaro and [Roberto] Ayala examples.

That kind of defender who looks small but they win every ball in the air.’The fact that Kounde has appeared to favour a move
to Barcelona over Chelsea may be the one crimp in his perfect
profile, but his preference not to have to change countries is maybe understandable and Kounde’s professional approach is as impeccable as his defending.
The French defender made 32 appearances in LaLiga last campaign as Sevilla finished fourthOnce he starts working with
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel, he will be out
to soak up all the know-how from his new manager.‘He constantly wanted to
get better.

He was not afraid of asking me questions one to one.

Or even asking me to come in for a session in the afternoon on his own,’
Poyet remembers.As for the attacking capabilities,
despite showing his defensive solidity at Sevilla,
he has not curbed his ability to join the attacks or even lead them.
Barcelona are preparing to launch a final late offering
to scupper Chelsea’s plan to sign himSevilla tend to play with a back four but both full-backs – Jesus Navas on the right
and Marcos Acuna on the left – push on to provide the width and allow the wingers to run inside.

But there were times last season when Navas was stifled by
the opposition and so Kounde became the defender to spring out
from the back and make the extra man in attack. There were also
stages of the season when Navas was unavailable through injury
and Kounde was always an option to fill in at right back. He has played there for France. That centre-back/right-back profile makes him the perfect
replacement for Cesar Azpilicueta in terms of positions covered.
Chelsea have already secured the signing of Napoli and Senegal
centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly The 32-year-old Spaniard has excelled in his hybrid defensive role at Stamford Bridge, first unearthed by Antonio Conte during Chelsea’s 2016-17 title-winning season.Sharing a similar height
to Kounde at 5ft 10in, Azpilicueta brought a different dynamic to the Chelsea back three, defensive-minded
and agile enough to keep shape at centre-half but cover the right-back area and allow the marauding
full-back to kick on. But the veteran has seen his game-time deplete in recent seasons, his 36 starts in 2019-20 decreasing to 24 in both of the last two campaigns.Favouring an undersized and
mobile third centre-back alongside Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger, Tuchel even experimented with Reece James in the back three whilst Azpilicueta was unavailable or needed
a rest. England’s assist-hungry attacking
full-back will undoubtedly prosper from the Frenchman’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, no longer held back – quite literally – in the Blues back line.
Cesar Azpilicueta went from 36 starts in 2019-20 to 24 in both
of his last two Chelsea seasons Kounde’s arrival would
give Reece James added security as he marauds forward
from full-backKounde’s all-round ability as a footballer means he could also play
in a three, which Tuchel may favour next season. That would give him the chance
to push on with the ball at his feet, as Rudiger liked to do on the left-flank.Even if James were ruled out
from time to time through injury, Kounde could comfortably reprise the role he has for his country and cover
at right-back.  They will miss him at Sevilla.

He is a modest professional who got on with all his team-mates and was
able to be a leader when the need arose, while also ceding to the veterans
at the club. The Frenchman has become accustomed to playing at right-back on international
duty Chelsea will be getting a player who piqued Pep Guardiola’s interest
at one point, although in the end City went for
Ruben Dias. He is a player that Xavi has been desperate to build a new Barcelona defence around. In the end Barcelona’s elaborate installment-player swap
plan has meant Sevilla are far happier to send him to England.

That is, unless the Catalan club are able to make good on their late attempt to raise funds with another rights sale and counter the
Blues bid with an enhanced offer.If not, Sevilla will be pleased not to have to face
him next season in La Liga.
They broke their transfer record to buy him but he
has been worth every euro the club’s sporting director Monchi decided
to spend on him. RELATED ARTICLES

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