Chelsea to make January attempt to sign ‘furious’ Jules Koundé — reports

Chelsea’s interest in Jules Koundé is long-term, and we are unlikely to give up after our failure to sign him this summer.

And, according to the Evening Standard and ESPN, we could make a move as soon as January, provided Sevilla are willing to begin negotiating again at the €50m (plus add-ons) price point.

Thomas Tuchel may be okay with the squad as is, but Koundé is seen by many as a long-term solution at a position that will likely soon be in need of changing and refreshing. (And that process has already begun with the departure of Kurt Zouma.)

“I assured everybody that I was happy if we could not bring a player in; we would find solutions in the squad and would push players within the squad. It was clear we tried for Koundé and Saúl and it was very late...”

-Thomas Tuchel; source: Football.London

Getting Sevilla back to the negotiating table may also be helped by Koundé reportedly being less than happy with the move falling through. While he’s sure to give it his all for the team — and his manager certainly expects that — the die may have been cast already in the long run.

Sevilla captain Ivan Rakitić certainly understands the situation, but expects professional behaviour as well, which should be the minimum.

“Hopefully when [Koundé] returns we can have a moment to be able to speak, sincerely, so that he knows that he has our confidence in him, that we are his second family. It is very important to us. The first thing we need is for him to feel comfortable, to be at his best and to know that everything we do, we do it together.”

“Everything good for the team will be good for himself. The important thing for him is that it is over, that’s it. I can’t say anything else. He can’t be happier to be there but he would have been if he had achieved that step of leaving. But since it is not, the focus is on Sevilla FC.”

-Ivan Rakitić; source: El Desmarque

Chelsea’s failure to sign Koundé also had an impact on Sevilla’s pursuit of Jérôme Boateng, with the latter eventually ending up at Olympique Lyon.

On a sidenote, Jules Koundé’s eventual arrival could have a bearing on Callum Hudson-Odoi’s future. There’s a possibility that the 20-year-old could head out on loan in January to Borussia Dortmund, with the Bundesliga side’s failure to sign a winger leaving them short of attacking options.