Two words summed up Thomas Tuchel’s feelings on the bulk of the squad upon his arrival: perfect size. Whereas his predecessor struggled with maintaining a team of large proportions, Tuchel used it to his advantage by rotating effectively en route to Chelsea’s Champions League triumph. This has made for an interesting first transfer window under the guidance of the German manager. The Blues have sold a handful of players but they head into Sunday’s friendly against Arsenal with a fairly large squad, even for preseason.
The size of the Chelsea team is already bloated and that’s before the board even begins to make signings. The Blues announced their first signing on Wednesday in third choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, and there are undoubtedly more incoming transfers to come. One name to watch for as Chelsea’s potential second summer is Sevilla centerback Jules Kounde. Kounde has been heavily linked with the Blues in recent days, but where does he fit into the European Champions’ defense?
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Where does Jules Kounde fit in Chelsea’s defense as it relates to other centerbacks?
In order to evaluate Kounde’s standing in the Chelsea side, a few things must be made clear beforehand. This is presuming the reported offer sent by the Blues goes through and Kurt Zouma moves to Spain as a part of the deal. The aforementioned transaction would give Tuchel five centerbacks (Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Kounde) to work with this season, which is what he had last campaign. This is also assuming none of the loanees or youth players stay with the first team, but rather get loaned out or sold. Lastly, this article will assess the Blues based on the assumption the 3-4-3 remains Tuchel’s preferred set-up.
Beginning on the left side of the defense, Rudiger is the man to dethrone. The German defender enjoyed a much-welcomed revival under Tuchel’s guidance and looked to be one of the best centerbacks in Europe in the back three. He pocketed top strikers like Luis Suarez and Karim Benzema en route to a Champions League title. Further, Rudiger helped transform Chelsea into one of the best defensive sides in England. He may have just one-year left on his deal, but he’s going to be an everyday starter for the Blues at this moment in time. It’s important to also note that Rudiger will likely be the only player without a direct back-up at his specific position. Malang Sarr could still make the senior squad and play left centerback, but as I mentioned earlier, we’re assuming Chelsea sticks with five central defenders.
Moving on to the heart of the defense, supporters will likely see the same depth they did last season, most notably in the Champions League final. Silva and Christensen will rotate out as the starting centerback in the middle of the three, with the former starting in bigger contests. Silva played in 34 games last season across all competitions compared to Christensen’s 27, but expect those numbers to flip in the upcoming campaign. The Dane was a sensation when stepping in during his Brazilian counterpart’s injury. Christensen restored the faith everyone had in him under Conte and—barring the agreement of a new contract—represents the future at the back for the Blues. It’s safe to say neither of these fantastic defenders is going anywhere this season as both have a huge part to play.
The right centerback position is where things get interesting.
Cesar Azpilicueta made his return to central defense when Tuchel brought back the 3-4-3. He enjoyed the second half of the season as a mainstay in the first team, but turns 32 next month. Enter Kounde. While it may seem as if the Frenchman is a shoe-in to start over the club captain, that’s far from the reality. In all likelihood, the two will co-exist as Silva and Christensen did last season. This presents Kounde with the opportunity to ease into life in the Premier League while allowing Azpilicueta to take a necessary break every once and a while. Reece James—who spent the last few weeks of the season at right centerback—can also slide over when called upon.
Overall, Kounde would be an excellent addition to the Blues. He is an exciting player with world class potential. That said, there are some reservations. The obvious one is his skillset and how it’ll adapt to the Premier League. It’s seldom a given that any players’ game will translate to the English top flight and the same goes for the 22-year-old. Kounde also enjoyed a lot of success in a centerback partnership, whereas Tuchel’s tactics call for him to take on another role. It’s assumed he will play on the right side of the back three given his attacking abilities.
The concerns will not go away until he gets some minutes under his belt, but if he were to move to Stamford Bridge, there is no doubt he would be a success. Kounde is perhaps the perfect centerback to take Azpilicueta’s spot in the long run. He’s a young, flashy defender who possesses the ability to dribble his way down the pitch and even take opponents on 1v1 in the attacking half. The French international is an excellent passer too, which bodes well considering the Blues will lose their chief distributor in Silva relatively soon. Critics have noted his height as a concern, but Kounde is actually an inch taller than Azpilicueta. He has excellent aerial statistics that make up for whatever doubters believe he lacks in stature, as well.
While Chelsea fans will undoubtedly be excited to see their potential new signing thrust into the starting XI, that may not be the case right away. The Blues are an established side right now given their recent European conquering. This is especially true of the defensive unit that was one of the world’s best during the second half of the season. At this moment in time, all three Champions League final starting centerbacks are set to return to SW6 for the upcoming campaign. If Kounde does in fact fit in at right centerback, it’s hard to see him dispossessing the captain right away. Azpilicueta’s position has been up for grabs for years as he continues to age, according to supporters, but the Spaniard won’t go down without a fight. It’s this grit—in addition to other honorable traits—that has made him a fan favorite over the years.
The only concern comes into the picture when one looks past this year to the time all of the Blues’ remaining centerbacks are out of a contract. It’s unknown whether or not Azpilicueta, Rudiger and Silva will re-sign with Chelsea, but all signs point toward Christensen staying in London. In Christensen and Kounde, the Blues would have an elite defensive foundation for the future. The former has waited his time in line, it may soon come time for the hottest centerback target on the market to do the same.
Where do you think Kounde fits into the defensive equation? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!