Chelsea ready to make €100m offer for Barcelona superstar

Tom Weber

Updated: 16 Feb 2025 14:54 GMT
3 min read

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Chelsea are ready to break the bank for Barcelona defender Jules Kounde, according to a sensational report in Spain.

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The Frenchman has been one of Hansi Flick's key players this season. The new Barcelona boss has waxed lyrical about Kounde, who has been almost ever-present in his side and the Catalans unsurprisingly want to tie him to the club long-term.

However, a spectacular report from Sport states that Chelsea, who have a historic interest in the versatile defender, remain keen on Kounde and would be willing to make a move for him in the summer.

The Spanish outlet goes so far as to suggest that the Blues would be ready to spend as much as €100 million on the 26-year-old. The report states that Chelsea had already wanted him last season, but the West London club's interest actually dates even further back to his Sevilla days.

Kounde not for sale

Despite these claims, the report insists that Kounde is considered untouchable by Barcelona and that club bosses Deco and Joan Laporta 'won't even listen to proposals.'

Moreover, it seems unlikely that Chelsea would be ready to spend this much on a player of his age. At 26, Kounde would be an uncharacteristic signing for the hierarchy at Stamford Bridge considering that they have almost exclusively targeted young players in recent windows.

As for Barcelona, handing Kounde a new contract may not be an entirely straightforward procedure. MARCA reported on Saturday that the Blaugrana are willing to extend Inigo Martinez's stay in Catalunya beyond this season but that they can't as things stand.

It was asserted that after extending the deals of Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsi, Barcelona have already reached their salary cap for the upcoming season and would first have to make room in the squad.