Chelseas Jules Kounde transfer bid demonstrates Thomas Tuchels strive for perfection

In pictures: Chelsea defeat Bournemouth in friendly

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By now, Chelsea fans probably would have expected the club to be locked in protracted negotiations to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, with two weeks to go before the Premier League campaign gets underway. Instead, the Blues are stepping up their efforts to sign Sevilla defender Jules Kounde this summer.

It is believed a bid of £30million plus central defender Kurt Zouma has been discussed between the two clubs after Chelsea opened talks earlier this week.

Kounde, 22, had been heavily linked with Manchester United in the current transfer window before the Red Devils acquired Raphael Varane from Real Madrid and has a £68m release clause written into his contract.

But it now seems the west London club have stolen a march in attempting to sign the France international, who featured at Euro 2020 and is widely regarded as one of the most consistent defenders in LaLiga.

On the surface, pushing to sign the centre-back would suggest that Thomas Tuchel is not entirely satisfied with the defensive options at his disposal, which is curious given their success in that department in his five months at the helm.

Kounde is not going to be signed simply to warm the bench, which means one of Tuchel’s trusted lieutenants could miss out next season.

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Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Thiago Silva made up the most frequently used back three by Tuchel last season, with Andreas Christensen also featuring prominently.

Zouma only made 13 appearances in all competitions under Tuchel, so it is hardly surprising to see the 26-year-old offered up as a makeweight for the deal.

Considering that the club had already sold Marc Guehi for Crystal Palace for £20m and had given Malang Sarr a chance to impress as a potential left-sided centre-back, it was believed that they had enough options available.

But the pursuit of Kounde points to a side of Tuchel that has rarely been observed during his reign at Stamford Bridge.

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The German is cut from the same cloth as Pep Guardiola. His tactical setups are so complex and intricate that one small mistake can result in the collapse of the system.

The way the team press, the manner in which they keep the ball, the positioning of certain players when the team are in possession; it all points to Tuchel’s strive for perfection.

When the 47-year-old arrived in January, the team were in turmoil. Five defeats in the space of eight games had cost Frank Lampard his job, but it was their defensive frailties that left them exposed rather than their lack of goals.

Tuchel revealed how he solved that problem on his journey to London via private plane with his assistant Zsolt Low, a quiet character who enjoys great influence behind the scenes.

The pair worked together to construct the 3-4-3 formation that saw Chelsea concede only 19 goals and keep 18 clean sheets in 29 games last season.

They had not only beaten Guardiola’s Man City three times, with the most important being their Champions League final. His side had overcome Real Madrid twice, Atletico Madrid and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, all without conceding a goal.

And yet, Tuchel still wants more.

Having seen Manchester City invest heavily in the defence over the past three years, Liverpool sign Ibrahima Konate this summer and Varane recently arrive at Old Trafford, he refuses to stand still.

His pursuit of Kounde would arguably complete his ideal backline. Rudiger on the left, Silva or Christensen in the middle and Kounde on the right side.

Azpilicueta would likely be the fall guy, but the Chelsea captain is recognised as a key cog in the overall operation at Chelsea and it seems likely that he would rotate where necessary with Kounde should he arrive.

It doesn’t paint an encouraging picture for young players coming through such as Ethan Ampadu, the 21-year-old who has been loaned to RB Leipzig and Sheffield United but could now be moved on permanently.

But Tuchel knows what it takes to win titles. He has twice reached the Champions League final, winning it for the first time in May, and also triumphed on two occasions in Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.

Some would argue that even in Paris, he was not gifted the same luxuries in the transfer market as his predecessor Unai Emery and thus began the fallout that saw him sacked in December 2020.

At Chelsea, however, he has a billionaire owner ready to back him and a powerful director that believes in his vision, reflected by the two-year extension he signed with the club which takes him to 2024.

Part of this winning mentality means being ruthless, taking decisions that may not put him in a positive light with some sections of the supporters who have become accustomed to seeing academy graduates given a chance in the team.

But now that Tuchel has his sights fixated on pursuing a title challenge in the Premier League, he cannot afford to appease everyone.

Signing Kounde sends a message to their rivals that even the European champions Chelsea feel they need to improve — and that they can get better.

One area that requires drastic improvement is their attacking contributions up front. Timo Werner’s 12 goals in all competitions reflected the German’s struggles in front of goal, while Kai Havertz managed only nine and Hakim Ziyech six.

Signing a player of Haaland’s calibre is no easy feat, though. Agreeing a fee with Borussia Dortmund is only half the battle, with speculation suggesting the Bundesliga outfit want £160million for the 20-year-old.

It has also been widely reported that next summer, the Norwegian starlet will be available for just £66m due to a time-sensitive release clause.

With Werner, Havertz, Tammy Abraham and Armando Broja available to him, Tuchel may not believe that adding a striker is a necessity for this season.

But keeping his air-tight defence in tact and ensuring they remain as solid at the back as their rivals could be pivotal in helping Chelsea finish on top of the Premier League when May comes around — Kounde’s potential arrival could be crucial in making that a reality.

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