French defender back on Chelsea’s radar

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino will bid to win his first silverware in English football when his side face Liverpool in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final. 

The Blues have endured a difficult season so far and currently sit tenth in the Premier League table, but the Argentine will be optimistic about their chances with the Reds missing a number of key players for the game.

Pochettino failed to win a trophy during his time in charge of Tottenham Hotspur, but he will hope to lift the cup at Wembley on Sunday afternoon.

In the meantime, it appears that Chelsea have reignited their interest in a La Liga defender.

As per HITC, the Blues were in attendance at Barcelona’s game against Napoli in midweek and had the chance to watch defender Jules Kounde.

The France international was heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge while at former side Sevilla, but he ultimately ended up joining Barcelona in the summer of 2022.

Kounde remains a target for Chelsea

Chelsea have since signed both Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile from Ligue 1 side Monaco, but the report claims that Kounde remains of interest to the West London side.

It is claimed that the Blues sent scouts to watch Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in action, but were also keeping an eye on the Frenchman as he is still of interest.

Chelsea could be preparing for veteran defender Thiago Silva’s likely departure this summer, with the Brazilian’s contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign and unlikely to be renewed.

Since joining Barcelona two years ago, Kounde haas made 72 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and registering nine assists.

The defender is contracted to the Catalan giants until 2027, but Chelsea may test their resolve when the transfer window reopens this summer.