Chelsea’s £42.5m offer for Jules Kounde would have wiped out Sevilla’s debts, says Spanish club’s president Jose Castro, but they turned it down to try and achieve their own ambitions
- Chelsea made Sevilla’s Jules Kounde their No 1 defensive target in the summer
- A bid of £42.5m for player with a release clause of £68.5m was rejected
- Jose Castro has revealed Chelsea’s offer could have wiped out the club’s debts
- But he wanted to keep France star so Sevilla could challenge for silverware
Sevilla’s president has explained why he decided against selling star defender Jules Kounde to Chelsea over the summer – even though the transfer fee would have wiped out the club’s debts.
France international Kounde, 22, was Chelsea’s No 1 defensive target during the summer transfer window but they were unwilling to meet his £68.5m release clause.
Jose Castro has claimed the European champions offered £42.5m, which would have been enough to return Sevilla to a profit despite the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Chelsea were interested in signing Sevilla and France defender Jules Kounde in the summer
Sevilla president Jose Castro has revealed selling Kounde would have wiped out the club’s debts following the Covid-19 pandemic
But Castro believes his decision was the correct one because LaLiga club have their own ambitions.
He told Diario de Sevilla: ‘We are the second team with the highest salary cap capacity.
‘Nobody can escape the fact we are coming out of a pandemic and this year there was no choice but to give a negative financial result.
‘There has been no income from season tickets, match tickets or bars. Marketing and television revenues have suffered.
‘Even so, with Chelsea’s offer of €50million, the deficit was wiped out. That speaks of the strength of the club.
Kounde helped France win the UEFA Nations League by defeating Spain on Sunday night
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel identified Kounde as his first choice defensive target
‘I don’t know how many teams in Spain would say ‘no’ to Chelsea’s €50m and maintain this deficit, considering that the squad is worth €400m [£340m].
‘The deficit comes from the pandemic, but also from choosing to build a stronger squad rather than sell in the last two markets.
‘That’s called ambition and sometimes to have ambition you have to have a deficit. It’s OK.’
12 months before Sevilla rejected Chelsea’s offer for Kounde, they rejected a bid from Manchester City that director of football Monchi described as ‘magnificent’.
Kounde revealed afterwards that he even spoke to Pep Guardiola over the phone but the deal didn’t materialise.
The centre-back continues to go from strength to strength, helping France win the UEFA Nations League over the weekend with a 2-1 win over Spain.
Kounde wins a header during Sevilla’s LaLiga match against Getafe earlier this season
Chelsea didn’t sign a new central defender in the end but they did splash out £97.5m on striker Romelu Lukaku.
Kounde was reportedly furious that Sevilla turned down Chelseas bid for him and refused to answer the phone to Monchi or manager Julen Lopetegui.
‘We all know that the summer was troubled,’ Kounde said last month. ‘I wouldn’t call it complicated. But it’s in the past now.
‘I am concentrated on the team. The most important showing is the one on the pitch. The team needs me and and I also need the team to give my very best which is what I try to do.
‘Up until this point, I’m happy with the team’s results and my own personal performances, even if I can improve a little bit still and do better than last season.’