sport news Chelsea: Jules Kounde was denied a transfer last summer but Sevilla defender ... trends now
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It was true last summer and it's still true 12 months later - Jules Kounde would be the perfect fit for Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea.
Former Chelsea favourite Gus Poyet said as much last year when asked about the player he coached at Bordeaux in the second half of the 2017-18 season.
Poyet, currently Greece coach, trying to guide them to Euro 2024 said: 'Because of his pace and his power you can play a really high line. There are not many defenders who like to play really high up and have a lot of space behind but he doesn't care about that because he's confident that he can deal with it.
Sevilla star Jules Kounde has been brilliant this term despite being denied to leave last summer
The France defender was blocked a move to Chelsea after Sevilla rejected their transfer offers
'He has an innate calm. You probably you cannot learn that. And if there is something you have to do with Jules - and usually you have to do the opposite; normally you have to push players to go forward - but with Jules you have to stop him sometimes because he loves to participate in the game so much. But he has got the quality to do it!'
Kounde honed his ball-playing talents under Poyet requesting extra sessions with the former Uruguayan international so that he could improve his ability to come into midfield and not just play easy balls on his side of the pitch but spectacular crossfield passes to switch the play.
Kounde's ability to play like a midfielder when needed is something Sevilla use as alternative when they are struggling to break down teams. His arrivals from deep as the extra man in the attack are difficult to deal with. He can also play at right back.
And his attacking extras are not to cover defensive shortcomings. First and foremost he is a defender and one who is
