Sevilla defender Jules Kounde is reportedly keen on making a move to Chelsea in the upcoming summer transfer window, with three senior defenders set to leave the Blues this summer.
Defensive trio Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta could all Chelsea upon the expiry of their contracts in the summer, meaning Thomas Tuchel's side will be desperate for a new defender in the transfer window. According to 90min, Kounde could be the first player to sign for Chelsea this summer, with the player's desire to join the Blues described as 'unwavering'.
Kounde has been reported to be heavily interested in making a move to Chelsea since last summer, with Manchester United also having shown previous interest. So, if the French man joined Chelsea, could he help them win trophies? We simulated next season with Kounde in the Chelsea squad and this is what happened.
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We 'signed' Jules Kounde for Chelsea in July 2022
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Kounde to join Chelsea at the start of the summer 2022 transfer window, using FM22 to run the simulation. Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta and Charly Musonda were all released on the expiry of their contracts.
The Frenchman had a great first season in blue, with the defender making 51 appearances across four different competitions. In the Premier League, Kounde started 35 of the 38 games, becoming the constant in Chelsea's backline.
The defender was also a danger going forward for Chelsea, with the 23-year-old grabbing three goals and five assists in all competitions. Kounde had a 95% pass completion rate in all competitions as well, which showed how he suited the Blues' system.
Overall, throughout the season, Kounde averaged a rating of 7.36 per game in all competitions. When compared to the rest of the Chelsea squad, Kounde had the second-best average rating in the whole Blues squad.
Romelu Lukaku found his stride in his second season at the club, averaging the best rating per game whilst scoring 29 goals in all competitions - the best in the Chelsea squad as he won the Golden Boot in the Premier League. Kounde ranked second-best with a rating just 0.04 less than the Belgian.
Fellow Frenchmen N'Golo Kante and Malang Sarr both had impressive seasons as they were in the top five best-rated players at the club. Kai Havertz also featured, with the German grabbing double digits in goals and assists.
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 2022 put together an overall best Chelsea XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what Chelsea's best XI looked like at the end of the 2022/23 season as predicted by Football Manager 2022:
Full Chelsea best XI (3-4-2-1): Mendy; Kounde, Chalobah, Silva; James, Kante, Gallagher, Chilwell; Mount, Havertz; Lukaku.
Kounde made the best XI alongside Thiago Silva and Trevor Chalobah in defence, with Sarr just missing out. Conor Gallagher had a great season back from his loan spell at Crystal Palace, making the best XI ahead of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic.
So, how did Chelsea perform in the league and cup competitions after signing Kounde in the summer transfer window? Was his signing enough to cover the loss of three senior defenders?
Chelsea's results from the 2022/23 simulation
Chelsea had a decent season in the Premier League, securing a top-four spot as expected, but the Blues weren't challenging for the title. Finishing nine points clear of fifth-placed Arsenal, the Blues were securely in the top four, but Tuchel's side finished 26 points behind Man City, with the league winners hitting 100 points.
A top-four spot is nothing to shout about for Chelsea, but the Blues did win one trophy in the simulation, whilst also reaching another cup final. The cup final loss came in the Carabao Cup, with Chelsea drawing 1-1 against Man United before losing 4-3 on penalties.
2-0 defeats to Man City in both legs of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals saw the Blues lose 4-0 on aggregate to City, but their success did come in the FA Cup. Reece James was the only goalscorer of the final, with his first-half strike securing a 1-0 win for the Blues to lift the trophy.
Overall, this Football Manager simulation predicts that if Chelsea were to sign Kounde in the summer, the Frenchman would suit Tuchel's philosophy to a tee, becoming one of the Blues' best players. His impact on the side would see the Blues win one trophy, but a few more signings along with the 23-year-old could see Chelsea challenge for even more.
Would you like to see Jules Kounde sign for Chelsea? Let us know in the comments!
