Spanish football giant Football Club Barcelona has agreed to sign from La Liga club Sevilla.
Both parties reached an agreement and the deal will be officially announced later by the club.
The transfer reportedly cost the Catalan Club approximately £ 50.5 million.
However, the news has been met with disappointment by Chelsea fans who expected the French international, Jules Kounde to sign with their club. The English club had been targeting the player for much of the summer.
This deal will be a boost to the current Barcelona squad as it comes just a few days after the club signed former Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen.
Kounde was a key player for Sevilla last season making 32 appearances during his third season at the club.
Described as a “mentality monster” the former Bordeaux man possesses excellent athletic ability, pace while playing as a center-back, and the versatility to line up on the right-hand side of the defence if required. This makes him a reliable defender.
This explains why Xavi, the Barcelona head coach saw him as a key factor to enable the club to attain greater heights this season.
Kounde foot on the ball is very excellent, with him ranking 98th percentile for dribbles completed and 90th percentile for progressive carries among his central defensive peers. His passing ability is also fantastic, ranking in the 84th percentile for progressive passes and the 89th percentile in passes attempted.
With the departure of crucial center-backs Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, Chelsea is faced with a big defence dilemma. Even with the signing of Napoli’s captain Kalidou Koulibaly, they are still in the market looking for another defender to fill the gaping hole in their defence.
This comes after the club’s struggles to sign Manchester City’s Nathan Ake.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe and Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig are some of Chelsea’s key signing targets.