Sevilla chief admits Jules Kounde wants to leave
By Tom Gott
Sevilla director Jose Maria Cruz de Andres has confirmed that centre-back Jules Kounde is looking to leave the club this summer, with Chelsea expected to snap the Frenchman up.
The Blues thought they had a deal for Kounde wrapped up last summer, only for a late shift in asking price to see the move collapse, but they have never lost interest and 90min understands they have long been confident of getting this signing done this time around.
With Todd Boehly now officially running the show at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea are free to pursue new signings once again and the belief is that Kounde will be one of the first names through the door, if not the first.
Speaking to Sport Witness, Cruz confessed that Kounde is looking to leave to test himself at a higher level.
“The case with Jules Kounde is very similar to the case of Diego Carlos. Not in the timing because we received offers for Jules Kounde in the last two seasons but always in the summer market,” he said.
“We have rejected because we thought that this player can improve his performances. It was better to wait because the market at the time was depressing. We thought that waiting a while would [help us] obtain more money.”
“Again, the player, I am sure, respects Sevilla FC. He is happy with us. In the case of Koundé, it is not a matter of money. It’s a matter of him wanting to play in a more competitive team than Sevilla FC."
Cruz went on to admit that players of Kounde's quality are right to attract interest from sides such as Chelsea, and admitted that Sevilla have been in this sort of situation before.
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“I am sure he is a player that is attractive for teams like Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and these types of teams," the Sevilla chief continued. "He wants to play in a more competitive team.
“It’s the same case we had some years ago with [Clement] Lenglet. He was very happy, but he thought after playing some years at Sevilla FC, he was prepared to go to FC Barcelona.
“The first time we received an offer for him was a season before he was transferred. He [Lenglet] and his father told us they didn’t want to leave Sevilla then because they preferred to stay here and play a lot of matches.”