Why Chelsea need to do their homework before signing Barcelona's Jules Kounde

[p]One of the form teams in Europe at present, the dark days of COVID, when the Catalan giants were being hammered 8-2 by Hansi Flick's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bayern-munich/nVp0wiqd/"]Bayern Munich[/a] in the Champions League, now seem light-years away.[/p][h2]Many plus points for Flick at Barcelona[/h2][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lamine-yamal/lAt3vEub/"]Lamine Yamal[/a] has really come to the fore in terms of his importance to the squad, whilst [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raphinha/xtBsDPam/"]Raphinha[/a] has captained the side with real aplomb.[/p][p]Indeed, the Brazilian playing as a makeshift centre-forward after the sale of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/torres-ferran/AVAVLaLt/"]Ferran Torres[/a] and the decision to allow [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lewandowski-robert/MVC8zHZD/"]Robert Lewandowski[/a] to leave, as well as Barca's inability to land [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alvarez-julian/bBHauDIC/"]Julian Alvarez[/a] from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/atl-madrid/jaarqpLQ/"]Atletico Madrid[/a], has actually turned out to be one of the success stories of the season so far.[/p][embed guid="3d043530-fcff-4b9f-bf6b-9537e0ddb18f" url="https://x.com/FCBarcelona/status/2101491540069871749" social-type="twitter" /][p]There are plenty of other plus points to enthuse Flick, now at the helm for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a], of course.[/p][p]The one disappointment this season has been the continuing poor form of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kounde-jules/v36QVRPu/"]Jules Kounde[/a], and the Frenchman has played just one full game in LaLiga this season, against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/rayo-vallecano/8bcjFy6O/"]Rayo Vallecano[/a], with one more in the Champions League against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/feyenoord/8zjySeoN/"]Feyenoord[/a].[/p][h2]Kounde has slipped down the pecking order[/h2][p]He only played 10 minutes in the first two league games of the season, and has been stuck on the bench without getting on for the last three.[/p][p]For a player who was once a shoo-in for either the right-back or centre-back position, it now seems that he's not first choice in either.[/p][image alt="Jules Kounde's recent career numbers" id="8db99fe8-1077-4866-81c8-84f68764a858" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="e688a3a8-ea1d-4dd8-897b-6ec98a35aeb2" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]To that end, reports in Spain suggest that [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chelsea/4fGZN2oK/"]Chelsea[/a] are one of a number of Premier League clubs that are testing the waters in terms of a transfer, and it would appear that Barca are amenable to a move for the out-of-favour French international.[/p][p]The 27-year-old is the first to admit that things haven't gone well recently, too.[/p][h2]Frenchman has admitted that he's not playing well[/h2][p][b]"It is a decision by my coach. I feel very good physically. I don't have any injury. If I have less playing time, it is due to being well below my usual standards,"[/b] Kounde was quoted as saying recently.[/p][p][b]"It is a consequence and a challenge that I accept gladly. I will have to work, which is what I normally do. It is up to me to recover my best feelings. I know that when I am in my best condition, I will have playing time."[/b][/p][embed guid="dc796a5c-c704-41dc-90e4-f83fb9ec0b71" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2106735323892027587" social-type="twitter" /][p]Since the start of last season, Kounde has made 52 appearances for the Catalans, but started in only 41, and been subbed off in seven of those games.[/p][p]Only three players have made more than his 3,248 passes in that time, and the Frenchman's 91.87% accuracy is one of the highest in the squad.[/p][h2]Poor final ball[/h2][p]One of the major issues has been Kounde's poor final ball when getting forward from right-back. [/p][p]Previously adept at doing so, since the beginning of 2025/26, he's only managed to find his teammates with 18 crosses, whilst 39 more have been unsuccessful.[/p][image alt="Jules Kounde's recent player ratings" id="67339711-57e2-40f2-8828-b44702538e86" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="79edde08-6794-4514-b184-343ace1211e1" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Given that he's long been considered the right-back for the club rather than his more natural centre-back role, it's clear that those kinds of figures are not good enough.[/p][p]When a Barca full-back gets to the byline, they are expected to deliver. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/balde-alejandro/6c0CXHVM/"]Alejandro Balde[/a] has had similar struggles on the left, and he too finds himself benched for a right-footed left-back in Joao Cancelo at present.[/p][embed guid="90bf513e-6018-4993-8af5-d764f0334f36" url="https://x.com/jkeey4/status/2060351811224003000" social-type="twitter" /][p]Of the 78 tackles attempted, Kounde has won 50 of them for an impressive 64.1% success rate, and his 106 clearances are also a fine return.[/p][p]However, he has been beaten for pace consistently down the right channel, and he has made the joint-most errors that have led to a goal for the opposition.[/p][h2]Offers invited[/h2][p]Further, attackers have kept the ball on 38 separate occasions when Kounde has tried to dispossess them, with only [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fermin/2c2ipETG/"]Fermin Lopez[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pedri/baBG8QuI/"]Pedri[/a] posting a worse showing in this regard.[/p][p]Seven yellow cards amassed since the start of 25/26 is the joint third-worst record in the entire Barca squad, suggesting that the player also needs to work on his timing.[/p][p]Though Kounde might point to his 379 duels attempted - the fourth most in the squad - and the 206 won as another positive facet to his play, the fact is that the Frenchman hasn't really hit the heights.[/p][embed guid="0fb8e3cf-3026-4c07-bcdf-0e8eb5409a08" url="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2082409951029240136?lang=en" social-type="twitter" /][p]He's done the bare minimum to get through for the most part; occasionally he's been great, often he's been poor, and that just isn't good enough for a team of Barca's stature.[/p][p]That the Catalans would appear to be welcoming offers for his services tells you everything you need to know, and Chelsea et al. should really be doing their homework before trying to land a player who once again has much to prove.[/p][infobox id="8a8311c3-81b3-440e-8b49-36091db073d1" /]