Kounde and Suarez transfers would make Chelsea complete

FT Desk

• Updated: 20 Jul 2022 16:34 BST
• 4 min read

Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel says he needs two more players to improve his squad. Jules Kounde and Luis Suarez would do exactly that.

Tuchel was talking ahead of Chelsea's pre-season friendly with Charlotte FC in North Carolina, in which Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly could make their debuts following their arrivals from Manchester City and Napoli respectively.

The Blues finished third in the Premier League last season, 19 points behind champions Manchester City, and Tuchel is keen to see further building of the squad having lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on frees to Real Madrid and Barcelona at the end of the last campaign.

"We need a couple more to improve the squad," said Tuchel in a claim which was no doubt heard loud and clear by new club owner Todd Boehly.

"We finished third last season - there was a gap. If you want to keep your position you need to improve. You can never stand still. Other teams will overtake you. We've lost players."

Kounde deal close

Although Barcelona have been keen to add Jules Kounde to their already significant summer shopping spree, the Sevilla centre-back now looks more likely to join Chelsea.

The France international is a long-term target at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues ability to pay his transfer fee in up front and in full stands them in good stead.

With Rudiger and Christensen gone, two of Tuchel's preferred back three from last season have left the club, with Thiago Silva beginning to look a bit lonely at the start of the start of the transfer window.

Koulibaly adds a wealth of experience as one replacement centre-back, having made 236 Serie A appearances with Napoli and won the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal in February, but he preferred lining up at left-centre back with Napoli, so a player on the opposite side is required.

Kounde is that man. A right-footed centre-back, his recent France caps have come at right-back. In the 98th percentile for dribbles completed in La Liga last season, he can help break the lines as well as his first job of defending.

Suarez would be worth a punt

Chelsea have a gap at centre-forward, meanwhile. Romelu Lukaku has, perhaps rightly, been allowed to return to Inter Milan this summer, but that leaves Kai Havertz as the primary recognised player in the position.

Even then, Havertz is a converted midfielder operating more like a False 9, and with Timo Werner failing to convince, Chelsea could do worse than acquire Suarez, who is available on a free after leaving Atletico Madrid.

Tuchel elected against pursuing a deal for Manchester United's wantaway Cristiano Ronaldo, but Suarez would a) cost less money and b) induce less stress in the manager given willingness to run down opposition defenders.

There is a dearth of elite-level strikers on the market with Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski and Darwin Nunez also sealing moves already this summer while Kylian Mbappe extending at PSG. Chelsea could do worse than add Suarez.

"They are huge players for us," Tuchel said of Sterling and Koulibaly. "But we need to speed things up."

Adding Kounde and Suarez would be doing just that.