It was less a look than Chelsea changing their minds, claims Sevilla’s sporting director Monchi in an interview/PR exercise telling their version of the Jules Koundé saga that ended with the 23-year-old (or about to do so). end stands). -old signs for Barcelona after nearly signing for Chelsea this summer and last and Manchester City the summer before.
While this smacks of Monchi and his club trying to save face after strengthening a division rival again, if we take it at face value it also sounds like Chelsea have actually developed doubts as to whether Koundé is someone we really need. Is that in terms of giving someone else the opportunity – Colwill? Azpilicueta? – or have another transfer target in mind – please say Škriniar, please say Škriniar – I think we’ll just have to wait and see to find out.
It’s a long interview, but here are the relevant parts:
“There were more applicants for Koundé at the beginning of the market than at the end and, above all, what has stayed is Chelsea who kept us busy and negotiated so much for the last month until we reached a verbal agreement last Thursday and so did the player.”
“Football always surprises you. Chelsea began to have doubts and withdrew. They didn’t doubt Jules’ quality, they questioned his place in the squad.”
“Everything stopped at the weekend and then Barcelona showed up. It’s important to mention this, but the first time Alemany got in touch was on Monday. He showed interest in signing Koundé.”
“We received an offer that was lower than we had imagined but we renegotiated with them and agreed on a club record sale.” […] It was a very good offer and without payments to intermediaries. Whether we like it or not, the market sets the guidelines and dictates prices. The offers we had from Manchester City two years ago, Chelsea last year and this year from Manchester City and Barcelona were for the same amount.”
[…]
“On Thursday evening, Koundé was ‘sold’ to Chelsea for a fee accepted by all parties. They began to have doubts and withdrew. Due to situations that sometimes arise no matter how long you’ve been in this world, there was a movement at Chelsea that made them question whether they needed a player with Koundé’s profile.
“They waited a bit and the wait continued until Barcelona showed up. Chelsea came back but Barcelona’s offer was better. When you have two options on the table, you play with them and the player was happy to go to Barcelona with better conditions for our club.”
-Monchi; Source: Sevilla FC
Still, I wish them nothing but slow wifi and itchy feet.