We 'signed' Jules Kounde for Chelsea this summer as Antonio Rudiger's replacement

Sevilla defender Jules Kounde is reportedly keen on making a move to Chelsea in the upcoming summer transfer window, with three senior defenders set to leave the Blues this summer.

Defensive trio Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta could all Chelsea upon the expiry of their contracts in the summer, meaning Thomas Tuchel's side will be desperate for a new defender in the transfer window. According to 90min, Kounde could be the first player to sign for Chelsea this summer, with the player's desire to join the Blues described as 'unwavering'.

Kounde has been reported to be heavily interested in making a move to Chelsea since last summer, with Manchester United also having shown previous interest. So, if the French man joined Chelsea, could he help them win trophies? We simulated next season with Kounde in the Chelsea squad and this is what happened.

To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Kounde to join Chelsea at the start of the summer 2022 transfer window, using FM22 to run the simulation. Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, Cesar Azpilicueta and Charly Musonda were all released on the expiry of their contracts.

The Frenchman had a great first season in blue, with the defender making 51 appearances across four different competitions. In the Premier League, Kounde started 35 of the 38 games, becoming the constant in Chelsea's backline.

The defender was also a danger going forward for Chelsea, with the 23-year-old grabbing three goals and five assists in all competitions. Kounde had a 95% pass completion rate in all competitions as well, which showed how he suited the Blues' system.

Overall, throughout the season, Kounde averaged a rating of 7.36 per