Jules Kounde: a centre-back in demand with HUGE potential

Jules Kounde is one of the most sought-after defenders in the world at the moment, with Chelsea and Barcelona battling for his signature, but why is he so in-demand?

At just 23 years old, the French centre-back is valued at £55 million and given his young age, he is expected to get even better as his career progresses.

We have broken down Kounde’s stats from his last three seasons with Sevilla, so you can see how he has improved and why so many clubs are trying to sign him.

 

2019-20

Kounde made a £22.5 million move to Sevilla in 2019 after showing his potential for Bordeaux in Ligue 1. He was highly rated even as a 19-year-old and it was seen as a bit of a coup when the Spanish club snapped him up on a five-year deal. He instantly became a regular in Julen Lopetegui’s side and the Frenchman rewarded him with consistently solid performances.

Kounde played 40 matches in 2019-20 which saw him gain invaluable experience in the Spanish topflight and in Europe, playing all-but three matches in Sevilla’s Europa League run which saw them lift the trophy for the sixth time in their history.

He also played alongside another highly rated centre-back: the Brazilian Diego Carlos, who has just made a £28 million move to Aston Villa. The campaign undoubtedly gave him the perfect foundation to become a top-quality player in the future.

Looking at his stats, he was solid in all aspects of defending. Across his 40 matches he averaged 0.8 tackles and interceptions per game, showing he is effective at nullifying attacks; something which is obviously essential to being a good centre-half. He also made an average of three clearances per game, too, showing he is not too proud to boot the ball out of play when he is under pressure.

But one of the most significant parts of his game is his passing ability, which is increasingly important for defenders in modern football. Kounde is never shy to receive the ball from his teammates and is usually very involved in the matches he plays – making an average of 49.9 passes per game in the 2019-20 campaign. He very rarely gives the ball away too, with an 85.9% pass success rate. Given these figures, it’s unsurprising that Thomas Tuchel and Xavi are so keen on the Frenchman.

It was a fantastic first season in Spain for Kounde, which saw Sevilla finish in fourth place and lift the Europa League trophy. In all competitions, he helped his side to 21 clean sheets. Clearly, he played a big role in their success.

Played: 40

Tackles per game: 0.8

Aerial duels won per game: 3.2

Interceptions per game: 0.8

Clearances per game: 3

Passes per game: 49.9

Pass success rate: 85.9%

Assists: 1

Goals: 2

Clean sheets: 21

 

2020-21

The 2020-21 campaign was another where Kounde was deservedly one of the first names on the team sheet for Sevilla as he continued his solid performances.

His defensive stats remained up there with the best in the league, and he improved some aspects of his game. Kounde made the same amount of tackles per game, with 0.8, but increased his number of interceptions per match to 1.2. This indicates that as his experience in La Liga grew, so did his reading of the game. He also still made plenty of clearances, with 2.9 per match.

Another big attribute of Kounde’s is his ability in the air. Standing at 5ft 10, he is actually smaller than most centre-backs but despite this he still wins an average of three aerial duels per match. He’s also very physically strong and has great pace too, which can allow him to track back effectively.

Where he really improved in 2020-21 though, was his passing (which, as mentioned, was already pretty good). He was even more involved in matches, averaging 69.3 passes per game – making him one of the most prolific passers as a defender in La Liga. His passing accuracy was also up there with the best in the division, with 90.1%... a superb score. Clearly, if you’ve got Kounde in your team, he will give you calmness on the ball and can even create some chances, too.

It’s also worth mentioning that the French international is a threat going forward, scoring four goals in all competitions for Sevilla in 2020-21. One of these was an absolutely outstanding goal against (ironically) Barcelona. He literally ran the length of the pitch, taking on several Barca players and making some slick one-twos to get himself into the box. He then finished off his chance with a finish of a seasoned centre-forward, right in the bottom corner.

The 2020-21 campaign saw Sevilla finish in fourth place once again, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. Kounde also gained more European experience, this time in the Champions League, where he played seven of Sevilla’s eight fixtures. This is something that he will have to get used to if he does indeed join Chelsea or Barcelona.

Played: 49

Tackles per game: 0.8

Aerial duels won per game: 3

Interceptions per game: 1.2

Clearances per game: 2.9

Passes per game: 69.3

Pass success rate: 90.1%

Assists: 1

Goals: 4

Clean sheets: 24

 

2021-22

Last season, Kounde didn’t improve many of his stats, but this wasn’t necessarily a negative thing as he maintained his already high-level performances. Defensively, he was solid again, increasing his successful tackles per game to 1.3. His interceptions per match decreased to 0.7, though, but his tackling compensated for that. He made a high number of clearances as well, with 3.1 per game.

Kounde remained an effective passer of the ball, making an average of 65.6 passes per game with an 88.9% success rate. For Thomas Tuchel and Xavi, this is undoubtedly one of the big reasons why they are both so keen to sign him, as both Chelsea and Barcelona like to play out from the back. The now 23-year-old will have to keep up his excellent performances in this respect.

Sevilla finished the 2021-22 season in fourth place once again. This time, they did not get past the group stage of the Champions League and were knocked out of the Europa League in the Round of 16, so it’s fair to say their European performance was below par. But this wasn’t due to Kounde, who helped his team to 20 clean sheets in all competitions.

So, beyond his impressive stats, why are Chelsea and Barca so keen on signing the French centre-back?

Looking at Chelsea, this summer they lost arguably their best defender in Antonio Rudiger; since then, they have been looking for someone who can replicate his consistent performances over the next few years. As a young player who can defend and pass the ball extremely well, Kounde would be the perfect replacement.

As for Barcelona, their number one centre back for over 10 years, Gerard Pique, is now 35 years old and missed the back end of the 2021-22 with injury, so the Catalans also need a new centre-back they can rely upon for the future. They have just signed Andreas Christensen but are still looking to sell fellow centre-back Samuel Umtiti this summer. Xavi is certainly building for the future and Kounde would fit into that ideology very well.

Reportedly, Kounde favours a move to the Camp Nou, but given Barca’s ongoing financial struggles a deal may be difficult. Chelsea, on the other hand, have had personal terms agreed with the Frenchman for several months and are ready to pay the money for him up front.

It will be interesting to see where he ends up, as he could be a huge player for whatever club he signs for.

Played: 44

Tackles per game: 1.3

Aerial duels won per game: 2.4

Interceptions per game: 0.7

Clearances per game: 3.1

Passes per game: 65.6

Pass success rate: 88.9%

Assists: 1

Goals: 2

Clean sheets: 20