"Chelsea wanted me, but I chose Barcelona" - Jules Kounde explains why he rejected Premier League giants
Jules Kounde has revealed that he always prioritized a move to Barcelona despite strong interest from Premier League side Chelsea all summer long.
According to Barca Blaugranes, the French defender joined the Catalan giants for an initial fee of €50 million and another €10 million in add-ons. Kounde has also penned a five-year contract which will see him stay at the club until the summer of 2027.
Chelsea were in dire need of a new centre-back this summer. However, their pursuit of Jules Kounde for a second summer transfer window in a row ended with Barcelona signing him instead.
Speaking to the press during his presentation, Jules Kounde said the following in regards to interest from the Blues (via Mundo Deportivo):
"Yes, Chelsea wanted me, but I chose Barcelona because I wanted to get here, it wasn't an effort for me."
LATEST NEWS | FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC reach agreement on Jules Kounde transfer
Barcelona have been extremely busy in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants have signed five new players this summer, including Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen.
It is worth mentioning that Andreas Christensen was previously a Chelsea player. However, the Danish defender's contract with the Blues expired in the summer and thus joined the Blaugrana on a free transfer.
Barcelona and Chelsea have been rivals in the ongoing summer transfer window
Barcelona and Chelsea have been surprise rivals in the ongoing summer transfer. There have been many instances where both sides have targeted the same player, with Blaugrana eventually signing the common target.
In the current window, both sides wanted Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha. However, all three of them moved to the Nou Camp instead of Stamford Bridge.
On top of these transfers, Thomas Tuchel's side were also keen on signing Ousmane Dembele on a free transfer following the end of his contract with Barcelona, according to Barca Universal. However, the French international decided to pen a new two-year contract with the Catalan giants.
Kounde "It's true that I had the opportunity to sign for Chelsea but we had to wait for Barça to find an agreement with Sevilla. When I saw that it was possible, I chose Barcelona, I was very clear about that. It's a big club and an ambitious project." https://t.co/MPnM4VQqbL
The rivalry could still have new stories in the coming weeks. The Catalan giants are still targeting two of the Blues' full-backs this summer. According to 90min, the La Liga giants are confident of completing the transfer in the near future. This is on top of them already signing former Blues defender Andreas Christensen on a free transfer.
Xavi Hernandez's side have strengthened their squad big time and will be hoping to challenge Real Madrid for the La Liga title this time around.